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Rheumatology 2003; 42: 287-291
© 2003 British Society for Rheumatology
Suicides in persons suffering from rheumatoid arthritis
1 University of Oulu, Department of Psychiatry, BOX 5000, 90014 University of Oulu,
2 Health Centre of Oulu, Box 8, FIN-90015 City of Oulu,
3 University of Oulu, Department of Forensic Medicine, BOX 5000, 90014 University of Oulu,
4 Department of Physiology, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland and
5 International University Bremen (IUB), School of Engineering & Science, D-28725 Bremen, Germany
Objective. To assess the demographic and psychosocial profiles of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who committed suicide. Two control groups were used: osteoarthritis (OA) and suicide victims with neither RA nor OA.
Method. A study based on a prospective, 13-yr follow-up database with linkage to national hospital discharge registers of all suicides (1296 males, 289 females) committed during the years 1988–2000 in the province of Oulu situated in northern Finland.
Results. Females were significantly over-represented among RA patients who committed suicide (52.6% RA women vs 17.3% women with neither RA nor OA). Comorbid depressive disorders preceded suicides in 90% of the female RA patients. Before their suicide, 50% of the female RA patients (vs 11% of the male RA patients) had experienced at least one suicide attempt. The method of suicide was violent in 90% of the RA females. RA males were less often depressive, but committed suicide after experiencing shorter periods of RA and fewer admissions than females.
Conclusion. Attempted suicides and especially depression in female RA patients should be taken more seriously into account than previously in clinical work so that the most appropriate psychiatric treatment can be provided for such patients.
KEY WORDS: Rheumatoid arthritis, Osteoarthritis, Suicide, Depression.
Correspondence to: M. Timonen, Health Center of Oulu, Box 8, FIN-90015 City of Oulu, Finland. E-mail: markku.timonen{at}oulu.fi
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