Objective: To assess the contribution of sociodemographic and psychopathologic predictors for suicide in alcohol-related disorders and in substance-related disorders in general and to examine the constellations of risk factors for suicide.
Methods: Out of 163 suicides (using psychological autopsy method) and 396 population-based control persons, 67 suicides and 67 controls with substance-related disorders (DSM-IV; alcohol-related disorders: suicides: n = 36, controls: n = 27) were assessed.
Results: Affective disorders, suffering from substance dependence, and low education independently predicted increased suicide risk in alcohol-related disorders as well as in substance-related disorders in general, severe nicotine consumption only in alcohol-related disorders.
Conclusions: There are common risk factors for suicide in alcoholism and substance-related disorders in general. Effective suicide prevention strategies must include a focus on substance dependence as well as on affective disorders.