Twenty schizophrenic patients who committed suicide were compared with a
randomly selected group and a sex-matched group of nonsuicidal
schizophrenic patients and with a group of nonschizophrenic patients who
committed suicide. The schizophrenic patients who committed suicide were
more often men, and tended to be young, never married, non- Protestant, and
white. They failed to communicate their suicidal intent directly, used
highly lethal suicide methods, and tended not to have undergone stressful
life events associated with their suicides. A thorough, case-by-case
clinical assessment of potential suicidal ideation is essential with
schizophrenic patients.Abstract Teaser