Journal of Affective Disorders
Volume 36, Issue 1 , Pages 11-20, 24 December 1995

Mental disorders in cancer suicides

  • Markus M. Henriksson

      Affiliations

    • Department of Mental Health, National Public Health Institute, Helsinki, Finland
    • Department of Psychiatry, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
    • ,
  • Erkki T. Isometsä

      Affiliations

    • Department of Mental Health, National Public Health Institute, Helsinki, Finland
    • ,
  • Päivi S. Hietanen

      Affiliations

    • Department of Oncology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
    • ,
  • Hillevi M. Aro

      Affiliations

    • Department of Mental Health, National Public Health Institute, Helsinki, Finland
    • ,
  • Jouko K. Lönnqvist

      Affiliations

    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Fax: (358) (0) 4744478.
    • Department of Mental Health, National Public Health Institute, Helsinki, Finland

Received 9 March 1995; received in revised form 1 June 1995; accepted 1 June 1995.

Abstract 

Mental disorders among suicide victims who had suffered from cancer were investigated using psychological autopsy data on all suicides in Finland over 1 year. Retrospective DSM-III-R consensus diagnoses were assigned to all 60 cancer suicides and to 60 age- and sex-matched comparison suicides without a cancer history. Depressive syndromes were equally common along cancer suicides (80%) and others (82%). Alcohol dependence and personality disorders were more frequent among noncancer suicides. Major depression and substance abuse were more common among victims with cancer in remission than in terminal stages. Only a small minority of cancer suicides seem to occur in the absence of mental disorders.

Keywords:  Suicide, Cancer, Mental disorder, Depression

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PII: 0165-0327(95)00047-X

Journal of Affective Disorders
Volume 36, Issue 1 , Pages 11-20, 24 December 1995

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