Suicidal ideation in patients with schizophrenia.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the factors affecting suicidal ideas in patients with schizophrenia in terms of some socio-demographic and clinical properties.

METHOD: The sample of the study consisted of 120 patients with schizophrenia selected from among patients receiving treatment at Trabzon Atakoy Psychiatry Hospital. All patients were evaluated using a Socio-demographic Data Collection Form, Reasons for Living Inventory (RLI), Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia (CDSS), Positive and Negative Syndromes Scale (PANSS), and Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders (SCID-I).

RESULTS: Of the patients, 31.6% had suicide ideation. Negative symptoms are found to be significantly higher. The group with suicidal ideation had fewer reasons for living than the group without.

CONCLUSION: Evaluations of the history of suicide attempts, depression and hopelessness in patients with schizophrenia are thought to be important in the prevention of suicidal behavior in these patients.