Background: Suicide is the third cause of death among adolescents in United States and between 5 to 12% of teenagers have a history of suicide attempt. Therefore, suicide is a public health problem in this age group.
Aim: To compare the clinical characteristics of hospitalized adolescents who attempted suicide with those without a history of suicide attempt.
Material and methods: The clinical records of adolescents aged less than 18 years, hospitalized in a psychiatric clinic, were analyzed. Forty six patients aged 15 +/-2 years (72% females) had a history of suicide attempt and were considered cases and 81 patients aged 15 +/-2 years (52% females) did not have a history of suicide attempt and were considered controls. Demographical and clinical characteristics of both groups were compared. Psychiatric diagnoses were based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV (DSMIV).
Results: No significant differences were found between groups in the length of hospital stay. The most common psychiatric diagnosis was depressive disorder, found in 71 and 35% of suicide and non-suicide attempters, respectively (p < 0.01). Personality diagnosis was deferred in most studied cases.
Conclusions: Depression is more common among hospitalized adolescents who attempt suicide.