Research has repeatedly failed to account for the high suicide rate post-discharge from a psychiatric hospital. It is apparent that research in this field largely focuses on simple categorical variables and fails to consider inpatient experiences of their admission and treatment.
Conclusions
Empirically investigating how the treatment experience itself can contribute to post-discharge adverse outcomes is required. Failure to broaden our investigation into causes of post-discharge suicide will hamper our efforts in addressing this devastating issue.
ChungDTRyanCJHadzi-PavlovicD, et al.Suicide rates after discharge from psychiatric facilities: a systematic review and meta-analysis. JAMA Psychiatry2017; 74(7): 694–702.
2.
ChungDHadzi-PavlovicDWangM, et al.Meta-analysis of suicide rates in the first week and the first month after psychiatric hospitalisation. BMJ Open2019; 9(3): e023883.
3.
TaiAPinchamHBasuA, et al.Meta-analysis of risk factors for suicide after psychiatric discharge and meta-regression of the duration of follow-up. Aust N Z J Psychiatr2025; 59(8): 679–691.
4.
ØdegårdKMyhreMKlungsøyrO, et al.Discharge from mental health service admissions as a short-term causal risk factor for suicide: a case-crossover study. J Psychiatr Res2026; 194: 174–180.
5.
FranklinJCRibeiroJDFoxKR, et al.Risk factors for suicidal thoughts and behaviors: a meta-analysis of 50 years of research. Psychol Bull2017; 143(2): 187–232.
6.
FortuneSHetrickS. Suicide risk assessments: why are we still relying on these a decade after the evidence showed they perform poorly?Aust N Z J Psychiatr2022; 56(12): 1529–1534.
7.
CarterGMilnerAMcGillK, et al.Predicting suicidal behaviours using clinical instruments: systematic review and meta-analysis of positive predictive values for risk scales. Br J Psychiatry2017; 210(6): 387–395.
8.
WyderMRayMKRussellS, et al.Suicide risk assessment in a large public mental health service: do suicide risk classifications identify those at risk?Australas Psychiatry2021; 29(3): 322–325.
9.
LargeMSharmaSCannonE, et al.Risk factors for suicide within a year of discharge from psychiatric hospital: a systematic meta-analysis. Aust N Z J Psychiatr2011; 45(8): 619–628.
10.
HallettNDickinsonREnejeE, et al.Adverse mental health inpatient experiences: qualitative systematic review of international literature. Int J Nurs Stud2025; 161: 104923.
11.
ModiniMBurtonAAbbottMJ. Factors influencing inpatients perception of psychiatric hospitals: a meta-review of the literature. J Psychiatr Res2021; 136: 492–500.
12.
LargeMRyanCWalshG, et al.Nosocomial suicide. Australas Psychiatry2014; 22(2): 118–121.
13.
ChungDTRyanCJLargeMM. Commentary: adverse experiences in psychiatric hospitals might be the cause of some postdischarge suicides. Bull Menninger Clin2016; 80(4): 371–375.
14.
SchechterMGoldblattMJRonningstamE, et al.Postdischarge suicide: a psychodynamic understanding of subjective experience and its importance in suicide prevention. Bull Menninger Clin2016; 80(1): 80–96.
15.
VealeDAliSPapageorgiouA, et al.The psychiatric ward environment and nursing observations at night: a qualitative study. J Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs2020; 27(4): 342–351.