P-1429 - the Analysis of Suicide Notes

Abstract

Introduction:

Suicide notes are the only personal interpretation evidence of his action causes among all possible information sources about suicide.

Objectives:

To improve quality of suicide prevention by the mean of suicide notes analysis.

Objects of the study: 77 suicide notes of Belarusian citizens who had committed suicide and corresponding prosecutor's reports.

Methods:

Evaluation of the formal visual characteristics of notes and demographic data, content analysis (note addressee, stated reason, manifested affect, dominant theme and direction of the charges).

Results:

The mean age of the sample was 43.8 years, 87% were male. 75% of the notes had specific addressee, 32.2% of them were directed to a spouse. In 55.8% of notes the main theme was “apology”, in 50.7% it was 'inability to stand the pain/illness “, but the main emotion displayed by half of cases was “guilt”. The vast majority of notes with the theme “charge” belonged to men (92.6%), 60% of these charges were directed to their wives. Women most frequently reported such reasons as “avoiding” (80%) and “self-punishment '(40%), men - a “protest/revenge” and “coercion”- in 32.8% and 23.9% respectively. Notes of women were characterized by higher volume, accuracy, consistency, and literacy. For persons aged 26–35 years the main causes of suicide were “protest/revenge” and “coercion”, and for those at the age of 66–75 years - “avoidance” and “rational denial'.

Conclusion:

Age and gender tendencies of suicide causes should be considered in planning the suicide prevention strategies in different age groups.