Factors associated with suicide completion: A comparison between suicide attempters and completers

Introduction: The objective of this study was to compare the sociodemographic and clinical variables of suicide attempters and completers and to identify risk and protective factors for suicide completion. Methods: Subjects (n=320) visiting to the emergency room were classified into two groups: suicide attempters (n=222) and suicide completers (n=98). Univariate analyses and logistic regression models were used to explore the differences between suicide attempters and completers and to identify risk factors for suicide completion. Results: The results showed that compared with suicide attempters, suicide completers were older, male, having alcohol use disorders, having comorbid health problems, having severe suicide ideation, and using severe suicide methods such as hanging and jumping from a height. Using multiple logistic regression model, risk factors predicting suicide completion were comorbid medical illness, and intense suicide ideation. Factor that served as protective factors against suicide completion was female. Discussion: This study demonstrated that suicide completers have more severe clinical profile than suicide attempters. Decreasing intensity of suicide ideation and treating comorbid medical illness of suicide attempters might be important in preventing them from suicide completion. It is important that the implementation of suicide preventive programs focused on alcoholism is useful in decreasing suicide rates further. Moreover, suicide completers used highly lethal methods, our results indicate that our country should make greater efforts to decrease hanging and jumping from a height.