NCJ Number
196135
Journal
Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment Volume: 22 Issue: 2 Dated: March 2002 Pages: 97-102
Editor(s)
A.Thomas McLellan Ph.D.
Date Published
March 2002
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This article reviewed suicide prevalence and risk factors among individuals being treated for chemical dependency based on data collected from a nationwide sample of patients receiving treatment at Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Centers.
Abstract
The authors studied suicide prevalence among chemical dependency patients. Data were collected from 248 completed suicides that occurred between October 1990 and September 1991 among patients receiving treatment at Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Centers. The majority of suicides in the study population were committed by male subjects with a primary chemical dependency diagnosis of alcoholism. Additional significant risk factors included a comorbid mood disorder and a comorbid personality disorder. Suicide prevalence among the chemical dependency population receiving inpatient and outpatient treatment at the VA medical centers was greater than other treatment populations at the VA. The 30s were the age group with the greatest risk for suicidal behavior among alcoholics in the sample. Due to the sample used, there was an underrepresentation of women in the research data. 38 references