Prevention of Suicide (1990)

From 1950 to 1986 the overall rate of suicide in Canada increased. Although it is not possible to predict accurately which people at high risk will attempt or commit suicide, membership in a high risk group should alert primary care physicians to evaluate the risk of suicide. Strategies for determining the accuracy of primary care physicians in evaluating this risk should be developed. Programs that combine identification of patients at high risk and subsequent intervention should be evaluated in terms of their effectiveness in preventing suicide.