Information regarding SA was obtained from the National Patient Register [years 1973–2009; (National Board of Health and Welfare, 2012)]. Information regarding death by suicide was obtained from the Cause of Death Register [years 2005–2008 for this study; (National Board of Health and Welfare, 2010)]. The National Patient Register, established in 1964, records all hospital admissions in Sweden. As of 1987 and 2001, all inpatient and outpatient admissions, respectively, are reported and maintained in the database. For each admission, the primary discharge diagnosis and as many as eight secondary diagnoses are listed using codes from the International Classification of Diseases, Eighth Revision [ICD-8; 1973–1986 (World Health Organization, 1967)], International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision [ICD-9; 1987–1996 (World Health Organization, 1978)] or International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision [ICD-10; 1997-present (World Health Organization, 1992)]. Similarly, primary and secondary causes of death, as reported on death certificates, are listed in the Cause of Death Register. Since 1961, >99% of all deaths both in Sweden and abroad are reported. In both registers, definite SA and causes of death by suicide are coded using ICD
