Suicide among hospital-treated alcoholics in Scotland, 1974-83
Kreitman, N.B.
British Journal of Addiction 86(3): 311-319
1991
ISSN/ISBN: 0952-0481 PMID: 2025694 Document Number: 372632
Two cohorts of suicide (and undetermined deaths) in Scotland for the quinquennia 1974-78, 1979-83 were investigated. A national record linkage exercise was carried out relating the deaths to admissions for alcoholism in the preceding 5 years (minimum) to 10 years (maximum). No differences were found between the cohorts in socio-demographic or clinical characteristics at the time of initial admission. The survival time as measured from either first admission or from last discharge to death was appreciably longer in the second quinquennium. This improvement might reflect changes in the patterns of services provided for alcoholic, especially the increased emphasis on the extra-mural care.