14 research outputs found
CHARACTERISTICS OF SUICIDE VICTIMS WHO HAD VERBALLY COMMUNICATED SUICIDAL FEELINGS TO THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS
Background: Verbal expression of suicidal feelings has rarely been investigated in the literature, particularly regarding
individuals who died by suicide.
Subjects and methods: We retrospectively collected data on the suicide cases of the period November 2007-October 2009 from
the Athens Greater Area and completed psychological autopsy questionnaires after phone interviews with their family members. The
specific question was: “Has your relative expressed to you his/her deep suffering or the intention to end his/her life at any time
during the six months prior to the suicide?”
Results: Data were collected for 248 individuals who died by suicide out of a total of 335. 121 of them (48.8%) had verbally
communicated their intention to die -or their profound suffering- to their family members. Suicide communicators were older
(p<0.001), less educated (p=0.04), more frequently divorced or separated and less often single (p<0.01) than non-communicators.
They had more often positive psychiatric history (p=0.004) and were less physically well (p=0.005), in comparison to noncommunicators.
Differences regarding sex, nationality, previous attempts, suicide note-leaving, completed suicide method and
hospitalization either for physical illness or psychiatric disorder the year prior to the suicide were not statistically significant among
the two groups. Considered that we interviewed only one relative for every case, the actual number of suicide communicators would
be probably higher; the suicidal feelings could have been disclosed to another relative instead.
Conclusions: This is the first time that a similar study was carried out in Greece. We found that approximately half of the
individuals who died by suicide in our sample had been (verbal) suicide communicators. The latter seem to present distinct
characteristics. These findings, coupled with the observation that the relatives are keen observers of the suicidal feelings of their
loved ones, could provide new insights to future suicide prevention efforts
Psychiatric Medication Intake in Suicide Victims: Gender Disparities and Implications for Suicide Prevention
Frequency and gender differences of psychiatric medication intake in a
sample of suicide victims from the Athens Greater Area were investigated
with a particular focus on the implications for suicide prevention. Data
were collected from the toxicological analyses of the suicide cases of
the period November 2007-October 2009. Information was available for 262
individuals, 196 men (74.8%) and 66 women (25.2%); 109 of these
(41.6%) were receiving psychiatric medication(s). Women were
statistically more frequently under treatment: antidepressants (32.8%
vs. 11.3%, p < 0.001), antiepileptics (9.1% vs. 0.5%, p = 0.001),
antipsychotics (24.2% vs. 9.2%, p = 0.003), and benzodiazepines
(16.7% vs. 6.6%, p = 0.024). Campaigns aiming to bring men with
psychological difficulties in contact with mental health services and to
lessen the stigma of mental illness, together with better training of
nonpsychiatrists into “suspecting” “male” depression, could be
particularly helpful for decreasing male suicides. More thoughtful
choice of psychiatric medication could possibly already prevent a number
of female suicides
Characteristics of immigrant suicide completers in a sample of suicide victims from Greece
Background: Immigrants have higher rates of suicidal behaviour in
comparison to the indigenous population.
Aims: To describe the characteristics of foreign nationality suicide
completers and search for differences between them and native Greeks.
This is the first study focused on immigrant suicide victims in Greece.
Methods: Data were collected for all recorded cases of completed suicide
for the two-year period November 2007 to October 2009 at the Athens
Department of Forensic Medicine, the largest, by far, of its kind in
Greece covering approximately 35% of the country’s population. The
material was collected using the method of psychological autopsy as well
as from the victims’ forensic records.
Results: Nearly 10% of Greece’s 11 million population are of foreign
nationality. Approximately half of them live in Athens and its suburbs,
an area where 35% of Greece’s population lives. In our sample, 15.8%
of the suicide victims were of foreign nationality (53 cases): 41 men
(77.4%) and 12 women (22.6%). Higher suicide rates were found for
citizens of Kuwaiti (9.1%), Somali (6.7%) and Afghan (0.9%)
nationality (immigrant communities with very few members); the lower
suicide rates were for individuals of Egyptian (0.01%), Ukrainian
(0.01%) and Albanian (0.006%) nationality (the Albanian immigrant
community is the largest in Greece). In comparison to their Greek
counterparts, immigrant victims were younger (mean age 38.7 vs 54.9
years, p < .001) more often unemployed (p = .007) and with a history of
alcohol abuse (p < .001). The main suicide method used by immigrants was
hanging (p <.001) while for Greeks it was jumping from a height.
Conclusions: Individuals who belong to small national communities seem
to have the highest risk of dying by suicide. Immigrant suicide victims
differ from the indigenous population in several parameters. Our data
could help define the most vulnerable of them and apply more effective
suicide prevention strategies
A 2-Year Psychological Autopsy Study of Completed Suicides in the Athens Greater Area, Greece
Objective To study the characteristics of a sample of suicide victims
from the Athens Greater Area using the psychological autopsy method for
the first time in Greece.
Methods We studied all recorded cases of completed suicide for the
2-year time period November 2007 October 2009 collecting data from the
victims’ forensic records as well as from the completion of a
psychological autopsy questionnaire.
Results 335 persons were recorded as suicide victims. We contacted
relatives of 256 victims interviewing those of 248 of them (96.9%). The
differences regarding sex, marital and employment status between our
sample and the general population were statistically significant
(p<0.001). The male/female ratio was 3:1. Comparatively more victims
were divorced, separated or single and a greater proportion were
pensioners or unemployed. 26.0% of the victims had history of prior
attempts (64.4% once, 20.3% twice and 15.3% more times). 42.6% were
taking psychiatric medication-significantly more women than men
according to blood tests; 14.2% had been hospitalized in a psychiatric
clinic the year prior to their death. 84.8% have deceased at the place
of suicide and 15.2% died in the hospital; 80.3% died indoors and
19.7% outdoors. Men died primarily by hanging or shooting by a firearm
while women preferred jumping from height instead (p<0.001). As many as
48.8% had expressed their intention to die to their relatives; 26.6%
left a suicide note.
Conclusion Our study has shown that the psychological autopsy method is
applicable and widely accepted yielding results comparable to the
international literature. Specific parameters associated with suicide
have been studied for the first time in Greece
Switching Suicide Methods in Order to Achieve Lethality: A Study of Greek Suicide Victims
This article focused on the relation between the method of last
attempted suicide and the method used during the subsequent completed
suicide. Using the method of psychological autopsy, the authors studied
all suicide cases from the Athens Greater Area during a 2-year period.
Twenty-four percent of the victims had history of previous suicide
attempts. The majority of the suicide attempters switched to a different
method (p<0.001) for their final act. This difference is primarily due
to the individuals who had chosen self-poisoning or wrist cutting in
their last attempted suicide. Both of these groups switched to hanging
or jumping from a height for their final attempt. Individuals who
attempted suicide by hanging or jumping became completers using mainly
the same methods
Differences Between Suicide Victims Who Leave Notes and Those Who Do Not A 2-Year Study in Greece
Background: Whether differences exist between those who do leave a
suicide note and those who do not has not yet been comprehensively
answered. Leaving a suicide note is not a random phenomenon: A minority,
varying between 3-42%, of all suicide victims leave a note. Aims: To
compare the group of suicide victims who leave notes with the ones who
do not, using data from the Athens Department of Forensic Medicine, the
largest in Greece. Methods: We examined sex, age, nationality, religious
beliefs, marital and residential status, history of prior psychiatric
disorder and psychiatric attempt(s), suicide method, physical disease,
recent hospitalization, and existence of suicide notes. We completed
psychological autopsy questionnaires after phone interviews with
relatives of the suicide victims of a 2-year period (November
2007-October 2009). Results: Note writers, 26.1% of our sample,
differed in the following: they died by hanging or shooting (p = .007),
had no history of psychiatric illness (p < .001) or recent (i.e., within
12 months of the suicide) psychiatric hospitalization (p = .005).
Conclusions: Our study showed that there are indeed differences between
suicide victims who leave a note and those who do not. We also suggest
some explanations for these differences, which could represent a
valuable starting point for future research on this topic
The Economic Crisis in Greece and Its Impact on the Seasonality of Suicides in the Athens Greater Area
Objective The economic crisis and the implementation of austerity
measures in Greece lead to significant socioeconomic changes. The
effects of the crisis were mainly felt by the Greek population during
the years 2011 and 2012. This study aimed to investigate the impact of
Greece’s economic crisis on the seasonality of suicides in the Athens
Greater Area.
Methods Data were collected for all recorded cases of suicides committed
over a 5-year period (from 2008 to 2012) from the Athens Department of
Forensic Medicine. Two sub-periods were studied in relation to the
economic crisis: 2008-2010 and 2011-2012. Seasonality was estimated with
the Poison regression variant of the circular normal distribution.
Results Suicide seasonality appeared significant during 2008-2010
(relative risk, RR=1.36) and strengthened in the years 2011-2012
(RR=1.69), when the impact of the austerity measures was increasingly
being felt by the Greek society. Regarding the latter sub-period,
seasonality was established for males (RR=1.75), individuals aged 45
years or more (RR=1.75) and suicide by hanging (RR=1.96).
Conclusion The economic crisis in Greece, especially in the period
during its effects had a significant impact on the population’s economic
condition, seems to have strengthened the seasonality of suicides, while
a noteworthy suicide risk of 96% was revealed for suicides by hanging
(peak in early June)
Late onset suicide: Distinction between “young-old” vs. “old-old” suicide victims. How different populations are they?
Elderly suicide rates are the highest of any age group. Greece is among
the countries with the highest proportion of elderly people in the
European Union (EU). Elderly suicide victims seem to possess different
characteristics. Aim of our study was to elucidate the different
characteristics of elderly suicide victims. Data was collected from a
two-year psychological autopsy study, conducted at the Athens’
Department of Forensic Medicine, the largest in Greece. Elderly suicide
victims represented 35% of total suicides. The majority (69.5%) were
males. Only 12.4% had previous psychiatric hospitalization but more
than half (65.2%) had psychiatric history (81% of them had history of
depression). As expected, there was a high incidence of physical illness
(81.6%). The majority (82%) of the elderly suicide victims made a
suicide attempt for the first time and it was unfortunately successful.
When the elderly suicide victims were divided in two categories
(”young-old” and “old-old”) the differences between the two
groups were: elderly over 75 years had more physical problems and more
frequently positive psychiatric history without ever been hospitalized
for psychiatric problems. Late life suicides seem to encapsulate
population groups with different characteristics. Their differences can
be a useful guide aiming to formulate specific suicide prevention
strategies. This is of great importance, given the very high frequency
of completed suicides in this age group. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd.
All rights reserved
Histologic Findings of the Sinus Node and the Perinodal Area in Street Heroin Addicts, Victims of Sudden Unexpected Death
Sudden unexpected death is frequent in street heroin addicts. We
conducted a histologic study of the sinus node (SN) to offer some
evidence about the possible arrhythmogenic cause of death. Postmortem
coronary angiography and microscopic examination of the SN and the
perinodal area were performed in 50 heroin addicts (group 1) and in 50
nonaddicts (group 2), all men (16-40 years old). In heroin addicts,
fatty and/or fibrous tissue replaced SN tissue in 21 cases (42%).
Perinodal infiltration was found in 15 cases (30%). Fibromuscular
dysplasia in branches of the sinus node artery (SNA) was found in eight
cases (16%). Inflammation with focal and/or diffuse concentration of
round cells was detected in the SN in 22 cases (44%). Old mural thrombi
were also found in 13 cases (26%). The histologic changes in the SN and
perinodal area offer an explanation about the possible mechanism of
arrhythmia and sudden death in this population