Determined of psychological autopsy of completed suicides in Istanbul

Abstract

Objective: Purpose of this study to determine general characteristics of the completed suicide in Istanbul. Methods: Out of 130 cases consecutively referred to Forensic Medicine Institute Morgue Department in April-August, 2002, 124 completed suicides were included in the study based on evaluations of death examinations, autopsies and toxicological examinations, autopsy reports and information obtained from forensic files and relatives of suicide victims by psychiatrists and forensic medicine specialists using psychological autopsy. Findings: Twenty four-one hundred of the totally 124 suicide attempts during the specified period were committed by 83 males (66.9%), while the remaining 41 (33.1%) were committed by women and the suicide attempts were concentrated in 15-24 age group. Most of the individuals in the study (28.2%) showed psychiatric disease as the reason of suicide attempt. Conclusion: The results of this study are similar with literature about sociodemographic aspects related to suicide attempt. (Anatolian Journal of Psychiatry 2012; 13:117-124)