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. 2016 Feb 9;15:14. doi: 10.1186/s12904-016-0088-5

Table 2.

Physical diseases in complete suicides (multiple categories possible)

Physical disease as reason for suicide Mental disorder as reason for suicide Difference
n = 202 n = 350
Heart disease 56 (27.7 %) 14 (4 %) χ 2= 9.6, p= 0.002
Lung disease 25 (12.4 %) 14 (13.3 %) χ 2 = 0.004, p = 0.95
Vascular disease 55 (27.2 %) 25 (23.8 %) χ 2 = 0.9, p = 0.36
Cancer 62 (32.5 %) 8 (7.6 %) χ 2= 23.2, p< 0.001
Metabolic disorder 48 (25.1 %) 33 (31.4 %) χ 2 = 1.4, p = 0.25
Musculosceletal system 45 (23.6 %) 24 (22.9 %) χ 2 = 0.02, p = 0.89
Neurological disease 39 (20.4 %) 21 (20.0 %) χ 2 = 0.007, p = 0.93
Chronic pain 58 (30.4 %) 20 (19.0 %) χ 2 = 4.5, p = 0.03
Duration of disease
 < 6 months 22 (20.0 %) 8 (17.8 %)
 6 months to 2 years 21 (19.1 %) 5 (11.1 %)
 > 2 years 67 (60.9 %) 32 (71.1 %) U = 2251.5, p = 0.30
Number of diseases
 • 1 disease
 • ≥ 2 diseases
68 (33.7 %) 57 (16.3 %) U = 8154.0, p= 0.002
123 (60.9 %) 48 (13.7 %)

Comments: Heart disease = hypertrophic heart, heart failure, diseases of the coronary arteries etc. Vascular disease = hypertension, arterial obstructive disease, thrombosis etc

Metabolic disorders = endocrinologic disease (e.g. diabetes mellitus, hypothyreosis)

Bold: Significant after Bonferroni correction (different diseases: p < 0.00625)