ABSTRACT
This study investigates the level of suicide in Cork City during the 5-year period 1987/1991. Both male and female crude rates were higher than the corresponding national levels. The male/female ratio was 2.3:1, which is consistent with established findings. Vulnerability to suicide is most pronounced in 20-39 year old males and females in the 40-59 age category. There was some evidence of an increased risk of suicide among single elderly males; otherwise marital status was not a significant factor. A positive association was noted between unemployment and suicide rate for males. Drowning was used as the method of suicide by approximately half the male and female sub-groups; this was followed by hanging in the case of males and overdosing among females. However all suicide cases under 20 years of age used hanging.
Subject(s)
Suicide/statistics & numerical data , Adolescent , Adult , Age Distribution , Aged , Female , Humans , Incidence , Ireland/epidemiology , Male , Middle Aged , Risk Factors , Sex DistributionABSTRACT
The present study evaluated the effectiveness of interpersonal problem-solving skills training (IPSST) for the treatment of self-poisoning patients. Thirty-nine self-poisoning patients were assigned randomly either to IPSST or to a control treatment condition (a brief problem-oriented approach). Both conditions were equally effective in reducing the number of presenting problems and in reducing hopelessness levels. However, the IPSST condition was significantly more effective than the control condition as determined by other outcome measures (measures of interpersonal cognitive problem solving, self-rated personal problem-solving ability, perceived ability to cope with ongoing problems, and self-perception). Follow-up studies showed maintenance of IPSST treatment gains at 6 months and a greater reduction of repetition of self-poisoning in the IPSST group at 1 year posttreatment.
Subject(s)
Drug Overdose/psychology , Interpersonal Relations , Problem Solving , Suicide, Attempted/psychology , Adolescent , Adult , Alcoholism/psychology , Alcoholism/therapy , Dependent Personality Disorder/psychology , Dependent Personality Disorder/therapy , Depressive Disorder/psychology , Depressive Disorder/therapy , Drug Overdose/prevention & control , Female , Humans , Male , Motivation , Patient Care Team , Personality Inventory , Risk Factors , Suicide, Attempted/prevention & controlABSTRACT
Self-poisoning patients (n = 40) were compared with psychiatric patients (n = 40) and nonpatient controls (n = 20) on measures of interpersonal problem-solving skills and locus of control in an effort to determine the importance of these cognitive and personality variables in self-poisoning behavior. The psychiatric and self-poisoning groups showed deficits on measures assessing interpersonal problem solving when compared with nonpatient controls. The self-poisoning group performed below the level of the psychiatric patients on all except one test, on which they performed at the level of the psychiatric group. Locus of control did not differentiate self-poisoning patients from nonpatient controls, and it was concluded that this variable is not an important factor in self-poisoning behavior.
