Attempted suicide consists in a self-damaging non-fatal behaviour, with an explicit or implicit evidence of the intent to die. It has a multifactorial aetiology: presence of psychiatric disorder, particularly major depression and other non-psychiatric components, like a series of stressful events.

To describe suicidal behavior among patients who attempted suicide.

Cross-sectional study. Patients admitted to three hospitals in the Province of Modena (Italy) after having attempted suicide were enrolled. Observation time: August 2015–August 2016 (13 months). Descriptive statistics made with STATA 13.0.

A total of 187 subjects (female 65%) were enrolled in the period of time considered. Forty-one percent were aged 45–64; 43.7% had higher education; 50.4% were unemployed; 49.6% had regular income. Common means to attempt suicide were drugs (64%), weapons (11%), precipitation (10%), other (6%), choking (4%). Recent stressful events were reported by the 83.4% of respondents, namely: family conflicts (29%), economic problems (17%), personal health problems (11%), health problems affecting a family member (5%), emotional separation (9%), job loss (7%), other (22%), alcohol abuse (27%), substance abuse (4%). The main psychiatric diagnoses were: depressive disorder (56.67%), personality disorder (20%), psychotic disorder (6.67%), bipolar disorder (5.33%), behavioural disorders (2.67%), anxiety disorders (2%), dementia (1.33%).

Findings of the present study are consistent with available literature and could help to identify “high risk” groups to plan future targeted programmes.

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.