Of the 998 persons committing suicide in Wyoming during the years 1960–75, 7% had previous state mental hospitalizations, and 4% had been clients at the state's mental health centers and clinics. Findings contrast markedly with previous studies, mainly of English and American urban areas, which suggest that about 20% of suicides have received psychiatric aid within a year of the suicidal act.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
BennettA. E.Suggestions for suicide prevention. In ShneidmanE. S.FarberowN. L. (Eds), Clues to suicide. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1957. Pp. 187–193.
2.
Bureau of the Census, Characteristics of the Population, Part 52—Wyoming. Washington, DC: U. S. Department of Commerce, 1973.
3.
LesterD.Why people kill themselves. Springfield: Thomas, 1972.
MeyerN. G.Provisional patient movement and administrative data state and county psychiatric inpatient services, July 1, 1974—June 30, 1975; Mental Health Statistical Note No. 132, Division of Biometry, National Institute of Mental Health, U. S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, July, 1976.
6.
PerlinS.SchmidtC. W.Psychiatry. In PerlinS. (Ed.), A handbook for the study of suicide. New York: Oxford Univer. Press, 1975. Pp. 147–163.