• Katarina Skogman, Margot Alsén, and Agneta Ojehagen.
• Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Division of Psychiatry, University Hospital, 22185, Lund, Sweden.
• Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2004 Feb 1;39(2):113-20.

AimThis study aims to investigate suicide risk factors after attempted suicide and whether and how these risk factors differ between the sexes.MethodA total of 1052 suicide attempters admitted to the Medical Emergency Inpatient Unit, Lund University Hospital, Sweden were followed up concerning suicide and death from other causes after a median period of 6 years and 5 months. In all, 50 persons committed suicide during follow-up. At the index suicide attempt, socio-demographic data and information about clinical characteristics were gathered in a standardised manner. Risk factors were identified among these data using survival analyses for the whole sample and for each sex separately.ResultMen had a higher frequency of suicide and a greater overall mortality than women. Cox regressions showed that suicide attempt(s) prior to the index attempt and the use of a violent method for the index attempt were risk factors for men only, whereas older age and a high suicidal intent (Beck SIS score) were female ones. Major depression was a risk factor for both sexes.ConclusionMore attention probably needs to be paid to the importance of gender in assessment of suicide risk and treatment of suicide attempters.

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