A retrospective, descriptive study of 294 suicide attempters evaluated by a general hospital's psychiatric service was completed by chart review. The 1980 sample differed from prior studies of this setting. Seventy-one percent of attempters had a prior psychiatric history, 31 percent were psychotic, and 25 percent had a diagnosis of substance abuse (combining alcohol and drug abuse). Overdose remained the predominant method of attempt, with a significant increase (P < .001) in the use of psychoactive medication. The ratio of the rates of male to female suicide attempters had increased to .8191. The crude suicide attempt rate for the New Haven Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area (SMSA) had declined to 191.32/100,000.
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