Background:
Suicide is a major morbidity associated with depressive disorders. The Mood Disorders Unit (MDU), a specialized tertiary referral depression clinic, is currently undertaking a long-term follow-up of patients seen between 1985 and 1995 and diagnosed with major depression.
Methods:
Death certificates and cause of death have been obtained for those in the cohort who have died. Cases of suicide will be compared with other subsets of the cohort using data from comprehensive assessments at the time of their index episode.
Results:
The number who have died in the 10–20 years since their index episode from the initial cohort of n = 1008 will be reported. Identifying cases of suicide is still being completed. Suicide rates and predictors of suicide in the cohort will be presented.
Conclusions:
Variables predicting suicide 10–20 years later in a cohort of patients referred to a tertiary referral service will be discussed.