Letter

Depression should be managed like a chronic disease: Myth of 15% suicide rate was promulgated again

BMJ 2006; 332 doi: 10.1136/bmj.332.7550.1154 (Published 11 May 2006)
Cite this as: BMJ 2006;332:1154.1

Access to the full text of this article requires a subscription or payment. Please log in or subscribe below.

  1. Melissa K Raven (melissa.raven@flinders.edu.au), lecturer
  1. Department of Public Health, Flinders University, Box 2100, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia

    EDITOR—Scott's editorial arguing that depression should be managed as a chronic disease perpetuates the myth that 15% of people with depression will eventually commit suicide.1

    A much cited meta-analysis in 1970 found that 15% of people with depression committed suicide.2 It focused primarily on people admitted with severe depression, so it should never have been generalised …

    Access to the full text of this article requires a subscription or payment

    Subscribe

    Article access

    Article access for 1 day

    Purchase this article for £20 $30 €32*

    The PDF version can be downloaded as your personal record

    * Prices do not include VAT

    Rapid responses

    THIS WEEK'S POLL

    BMJ most popular