Suicide Attempts in Funen, 1980-1981

As part of a major project concerning suicidal behaviour, social, psychiatric and psychological characteristics of suicide attempts are examined through extensive interviews with persons who, during the period 1 October, 1980 to 20 April, 1981, were in the Psychiatric Ward at Odense Hospital because of attempted suicide. The survey consists of two main parts, a psychiatric-psychological part and a sociological part. The psychiatric-psychological part comprises questions concerning the premorbid psyche of the would-be suicide, previous somatic and psychiatric anamnesis, previous suicidal behaviour, abuse of alcohol and medicine, mental symptoms previous to the suicidal act, methods used in suicide attempts, as well as some questions examining the motive for the suicidal act, the degree of death wish and the degree of danger of the suicidal act attempted. In addition to social background data, the sociological part comprises questions concerning the would-be suicide's social relations with her/his family and friends, connections with the work sphere, as well as a number of questions about economic conditions, education and standard of dwelling