Examining the Claim that 80–90% of Suicide Cases Had Depression

Frontiers in Public Health

Said Shahtahmasebi¹ 

关键词: anti-depressant;    psychological autopsy;    selection bias;    suicide prevention;    mental illness;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fpubh.2013.00062

学科分类：卫生学

来源: Frontiers

【 摘 要 】

There is a belief amongst the medical profession and the public that depression causes suicide. When this belief is challenged the medical profession quote that 80–90% of suicides had depression. Where did this estimate come from and what is it based on? If it is true, why then we have not observed a drop in suicide rate given that prescriptions for anti-depressants have increased sharply over the last 12–15 years? For example the New Zealand government’s documents report that prescriptions for anti-depressants had doubled by 2006, and a more recent document reports that it has doubled again since 2006, i.e., the rate has quadrupled over the last 12 years. Yet, suicide rates have maintained an increasing trend over the same period (1).

【 授权许可】

CC BY