정신과적 문제로 응급실에 내원한 환자 중 자살기도자와 자살사망자의 임상특성 예비 비교 연구

Preliminary Study on the Clinical Characteristics between Suicide Attempters and Suicide Completers Who Had Visited Emergency Room

Objectives There is increasing evidence of an association between suicide and psychiatric disorders. This is the first report in Korea investigating the differences in clinical and demographic characteristics between suicide completers and suicide attempters who visited emergency room. Methods For this study, we enrolled patients who had visited the emergency rooms of university- affiliated medical centers or hospitals, due to psychiatric problems, between January 2003 and December 2006. In October 2007, we used the Korea national statistical office to identify the suicide completers among these enrollees. We then conducted a retrospective chart review comparing clinical and demographic characteristics between suicide attempters and completers. Results During the study period, 1,106 such patients visited the emergency room of a university affiliated medical center or hospital. Among these, there were 162 suicide attempters and 13 suicide completers. Suicide completion was a proportionately-higher fraction of the suiciderelated behaviors of patients with schizophrenia (27.3%) and anxiety/somatoform disorder (50.0%), as compared to patients with other psychiatric disorders. Also, suicide completers used more violent methods of suicide. Conclusion These results suggest that patients with schizophrenia and anxiety/somatoform disorder make more fatal suicide attempts. The proportion of suicide completion within the suicide- related behaviors of these patients was higher than found in other psychiatric disorders. A greater number of risk factors should be elucidated to provide effective suicide prevention programs in Korea.