In-patient suicide--a 13-year assessment

OBJECTIVE

To describe the suicide rates of psychiatric in-patients in the canton of Zurich for the period 1992-2004, and to determine putative risk factors.

METHOD

The data were derived from the psychiatric case register of the canton Zurich. The analyses were based on person-years calculations and standardised mortality ratios. Additional information was assessed via case records.

RESULTS

During the 13-year period the standardised mortality ratio was 48.9. The risk of suicide was particularly high in patients with personality and affective disorders. Most suicides occurred during regular leave periods, despite the fact that clinical assessment had indicated there was no suicide risk for the patient.

CONCLUSION

The suicide risk of in-patients is distinctly higher than in the general population. A better assessment of suicide risk before regular leave periods could lead to a decrease of suicides in in-patient settings, as well as a more rigorous treatment of borderline cases, and of affective and psychotic symptoms.

Correlates of coping styles in psychotic illness

BACKGROUND

Both integration and sealing over have been identified as global, clinically distinct coping styles with the psychotic illness and integration was found to be associated with a better outcome. We studied a series of potential correlates of these coping styles.

SAMPLING AND METHODS

A total of 75 psychiatric patients in a recovery phase after a psychotic episode were studied. All patients filled out the Frankfurt Self-Concept Inventory and the Parental Bonding Instrument; the Integration/Sealing over Scale and the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale were completed by an investigator for all patients during a semistructured interview. Besides, some sociodemographic and clinical data were collected.

RESULTS

A relationship was found between the integrative coping style and absence of negative symptoms, housing with partner or alone indicating more social competence and a diagnosis of psychotic illness other than (paranoid) schizophrenia.

CONCLUSIONS

As only 25% of the variance were explained, other--still unknown--factors are also of importance.

Study on alexithymia in adult non-patients

OBJECTIVE

We tested the purported complex relationships between alexithymia and somatization, depression, borderline pathology and general health.

METHODS

A total of 139 medical students and 84 members of nursing personnel completed questionnaires.

RESULTS

Thirteen (6%) alexithymic participants indicated more depression and borderline pathology and worse mental health. Path analysis confirmed a significant positive effect of borderline pathology and a significant negative effect of mental health on alexithymia but did not reveal any effects of somatization and depression.

CONCLUSION

Presence of borderline pathology may indicate higher probability of alexithymia.