Late suicide in former mental patients.

Results from the long-term follow-up studies "The Enquĕte of Lausanne" are presented, concerning the incidence of suicide in old age of former mental patients. Among 1,891 studied deaths, 107 (5.6%) known suicides occurred; the suicide rate for all diagnostic groups, except mental retardation (only females), being considerably higher than in the general Swiss population of the same age, especially for depressions, alcoholism, neurotic and psychopathic personality disorders.