Outpatient rehabilitation can prevent suicide after acquired brain injury.

objectiveThe frequency of suicide after stroke and traumatic brain injury has been found to be higher than in the general population. This article presents an outpatient rehabilitation programme for adults with acquired brain injuries and compares the frequency of suicides among treated patients with that in a matched control group.

methodsA registry study was supplemented with reviews of medical records. Data were obtained from the Swedish Cause of Death Register, and 5 controls for each patient treated by the Outpatient Brain Injury Team were identified in the Swedish National Patient Register. Controls were matched by ICD-9 or ICD-10 diagnosis codes, age, gender, and date of first delivery of care.

resultsA total of 591 patients were included in the treated group, and 2,932 individuals were included in the control group. No suicides were identified in the treated group, whereas 26 cases classified as intentional self-harm and a total of 40 suicides, including 14 probable suicides coded as events of undetermined intent, were identified among the controls.

conclusionTreatment by a specialized outpatient rehabilitation team may help reduce suicide risk. A follow-up rehabilitation programme should be considered for patients who have sustained a brain injury.