Sociodemographic, psychiatric and somatic risk factors for suicide: a Swedish national cohort study

Suicide Rates and Subgroups With Elevated Suicide Risk Among Patients With Psychiatric Disorders: A Nationwide Cohort Study in Korea

BACKGROUND

Despite the distinctly high risk of suicide among patients with psychiatric disorders, little is known regarding the nationwide rates and risk factors for suicide among individual subgroups of patients with psychiatric disorders. This study aimed to assess differences in suicide rates and identify risk factors for suicide across multiple psychiatric diseases using data from a nationally representative cohort in Korea.

METHODS

Six groups of incident patients with psychiatric disorders, namely those with drug use disorder (DUD), alcohol use disorder (AUD), schizophrenia (SCZ), bipolar disorder (BD), depressive disorder (DD), or other affective disorders (OADs), were extracted from the National Health Information Database and followed up. Suicide rates and risk factors were then determined for each disease group.

RESULTS

Patients with psychiatric disorders had higher suicide rates than did the general population, with standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) ranging from 2.5 to 16.6. In particular, patients with DUD showed markedly higher suicide rate (584.0 per 100,000 person-years [PYs]; SMR, 16.6) than did patients with affective disorders, including DD (119.8 per 100,000 PYs; SMR, 3.1). AUD, DUD, SCZ, and BD showed lower male/female suicide rate ratios (1.1-1.4) than did depressive and OADs (2.2-2.4). Old age increased the risk for suicide among those with DUD and OADs, while medical aid recipients exhibited the lowest suicide risk among those with the AUD and SCZ. Male sex and the presence of multiple psychiatric comorbidities were consistently identified as suicide risk factors across mental illness subgroups.

CONCLUSION

The current study observed substantial variations in suicide rates and risk factors across psychiatric disorders and patient characteristics, which have significant implications for suicide prevention strategies.

Associations of asthma and psychiatric comorbidities on suicide mortality among community adolescents: A 20-year cohort study

BACKGROUND

The role of psychiatric comorbidity as a confounder between asthma and subsequent suicide mortality in adolescents remained unclarified.

METHODS

This study used a 20-year community-based cohort in Taiwan. Adolescents aged 11 to 16 from 123 schools were classified into three subgroups: current asthma (symptoms present in the past year), previous asthma (history of asthma but no symptoms in the past year), and no asthma. The mortality and medical care utilizations until the end of follow-up in 2015 were obtained. Cox proportional hazard and competing risk models were performed. Different adjustment models that included covariates of demographic status, allergy, cigarette smoking, psychiatric diagnoses, alcohol or substance misuse, and attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders were compared.

RESULTS

During the follow-up, 285 out of 153,526 participants died from suicide. The crude hazard ratio for suicide was 1.95 (95 % CI=1.46∼2.60) in the current asthma subgroup and 2.01 (1.36∼2.97) in the previous asthma subgroup. The adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) attenuated to 1.67 (1.25∼2.24) and 1.72 (1.16∼2.54) respectively after further adjustment for all mental disorders, ADHD, substance, and alcohol use disorders.

CONCLUSIONS

Our adjustment analyses stratified by different models highlight evidence of asthma as an independent risk factor that predicts suicide among adolescents. Depression and mental disorders were potential confounders and identifications of asthma and psychiatric disorders might help decrease suicide risk.

Suicidality Trajectory, Hopelessness, Resilience, and Self-Efficacy Among Patients With Treatment-Resistant Depression in Vietnam

BACKGROUND

Patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD) have higher rates of suicidal ideation and a higher suicide attempt prevalence than patients with other types of depression.

PURPOSE

This study was designed to study the suicidality trajectory and relationships between hopelessness, resilient coping, and self-efficacy, respectively, and suicidal ideation and suicide attempts in patients with TRD during hospitalization and at 3 months after discharge.

METHODS

A longitudinal survey of 53 psychiatric inpatients with TRD was conducted. Suicidality, hopelessness, resilient coping, self-reported medication adherence, and self-efficacy were assessed at Weeks 1 and 2 (T0 and T1) after hospitalization and Week 1 and Months 1 and 3 after discharge. Data were analyzed using a Cox regression model.

RESULTS

Suicidality varied across the five time points, with a downward trend observed between T0 and T1 (reflecting the initial effects of inpatient treatment) and an upward trend observed across the 3-month follow-up. Antidepressant overdose was the most common method used for suicide. The risk of high suicidal ideation during follow-up was 1.63, 2.63, and 1.14 times higher, respectively, in participants with a high level of hopelessness, low level of resilient coping, and low self-efficacy. Also, having a higher level of hopelessness and being younger in age increased the risk of attempting suicide by 3.07 times and over 6 times, respectively, compared to older participants.

CONCLUSIONS/IMPLICATION FOR PRACTICE

Suicidality was shown to fluctuate between the in-hospital treatment phase and the first 3 months following discharge in this sample of patients with TRD. Younger age, feelings of hopelessness, low resilience, and low self-efficacy were the top four factors contributing to postdischarge suicide risk. These findings highlight the need for regular patient monitoring and assessment to identify those with TRD who are at high risk of suicide as well as the importance of focusing on hopelessness, resilience, and self-efficacy as predictors of suicide ideation and attempts. Nurses should help patients with TRD, especially those who are younger, and improve and maintain their hope, resilience, and self-efficacy both during hospitalization and shortly after discharge.

Risk of suicide after hospitalizations due to acute physical health conditions-a cohort study of the Norwegian population

BACKGROUND

It is well known that individuals recently discharged from psychiatric inpatient care face a high risk of suicide. Severe physical health conditions have also been linked to suicide risk. The risk of suicide following discharge from somatic hospitals is not known for individuals admitted due to acute physical health conditions.

METHODS

A Cohort study using data from the entire Norwegian population aged 12 years and older from 2008 to 2022 linked with information on health service use and cause of death. We used Cox regression with age as time axis to estimate sex-adjusted hazard ratios of suicide following discharge for ages 12 to 64 years and 65 years and older. We also performed analyses after excluding hospitalizations with indications of concurrent mental disorders, self-harm, or suicide attempts. To assess individual risk, we performed an adapted case-crossover analysis among discharged patients who died from suicide.

RESULTS

A total of 4 632,980 individuals aged 12 to 64 years and 1,469,265 individuals aged 65 years and older were included. Compared to unexposed individuals at similar ages, we found an increased risk of suicide in the first 4 weeks after discharge, with a hazard ratio (HR) of 7.0 (95% confidence interval (CI) 5.9 to 8.3) among those aged 12 to 64 years and 6.8 (95% CI 5.4 to 8.6) among those 65 years and older. In the younger age group, the risk was attenuated, with a HR of 2.4 (95% CI 1.7 to 3.2) after excluding hospitalizations with indications of concurrent mental disorders, self-harm, or suicide attempts. The corresponding HR was 4.8 (95% CI 3.5 to 6.4) among those 65 years and older, declining to 1.9, (1.2 to 3.1) in weeks 5 to 8 and 1.2 (0.7 to 2.2) in weeks 21 to 24. The case-crossover analysis confirmed that individuals 65 years and older were particularly vulnerable.

CONCLUSIONS

The heightened risk of suicide following discharge from acute somatic hospitalization, even in the absence of concurrent mental disorders, self-harm, or prior suicide attempts, underscores the critical need for comprehensive mental health and existential support for patients post-discharge.

Correlations between the euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide rates and the non-assisted suicide rates at the municipal level in the Netherlands

In the Netherlands, rates of euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide (henceforth "EPAS") display substantial variation at the municipal level. If a similar variation can be found in non-assisted suicide (henceforth "suicide"), this may enable us to establish a possible correlation between these variations. This cross-sectional study assessed proportions of suicide in the years 2013-2017 in The Netherlands. Negative binomial regression analysis was performed to identify potential explanatory variables and to calculate adjusted proportions. The magnitude of variation was calculated by ratios between the highest and lowest municipality proportions. Outliers were detected by Funnel Plots. A possible correlation between suicide and EPAS was calculated. From 2013-2017 the suicide rate between Dutch municipalities varied by a factor 6.7. This variation could only be partially explained by gender, political orientation, the availability of voluntary workers, and mobility limitations. No correlation was found with the variation in EPAS. A "waterbed effect" between suicides and EPAS-cases could not be confirmed. Advice for further research is given.

Mental Manifestations and Biomarkers of Alcohol Consumption

The purpose of this study is to examine healthcare usage, morbidities, and alcohol consumption monitoring in patients before a diagnosis of mental manifestations to assist in the early identification of individuals at risk. Biological markers of alcoholism are separated into two groups: those biological variables that highlight with great confidence and validate the presence of a predisposition to alcoholism, also called trait markers, or those that highlight alcohol consumption, called markers of alcoholism ("status markers"). Biomarkers are the true "gold standard" for the diagnosis of alcoholism. They are valuable for tracking evolution and progress during biological and psychological therapy and for highlighting relapse. This review compiles the existing data from research on healthcare utilization, comorbidities, and alcohol consumption monitoring in patients before a diagnosis of mental manifestations to aid in the early identification of individuals at risk. This documentary study took place over three to four months by searching for terms on the Science Direct platform, PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar such as alcoholism, alcohol use disorders, alcohol abuse, and biomarkers. Studies reporting on the development, characteristics, and utilization of blood biomarkers for alcohol consumption were included in the search. The initial search included a number of 11.019 articles that contained the keywords biomarkers and alcohol. Finally, a total of 50 research articles were considered. I am involved in clinical studies, meta-analyses, reviews, and case studies regarding alcohol consumption detection, as well as potential alcohol markers.

[Suicide prevention in old age : Importance of depressive disorders and implications for the discussion on assisted suicide]

This article gives an overview of possibilities for suicide prevention in old age, with an emphasis on depression. A broad range of approaches are available, which are described differentiated into universal, selective and indicated strategies. In Germany the working group "Old people" of the National Suicide Prevention Program (NaSPro) has worked out these strategies in a differentiated way and with respect to the international discussions. The influence of the debate on assisted suicide and the influence of cognitive changes on suicidal ideation in old age are discussed. A further large need for concrete measures and also the presence of large gaps in the care structures are determined.

Mortality Risks Associated with Depression in Men with Prostate Cancer

BACKGROUND

Men diagnosed with prostate cancer (PC) have an increased risk of depression; however, it is unclear to what extent depression affects long-term survival. A better understanding of such effects is needed to improve long-term care and outcomes for men with PC.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the associations between major depression and mortality in a national cohort of men with PC.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

A national cohort study was conducted of all 180 189 men diagnosed with PC in Sweden during 1998-2017. Subsequent diagnoses of major depression were ascertained from nationwide outpatient and inpatient records through 2018.

OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

Deaths were identified from nationwide records through 2018. Cox regression was used to compute hazard ratios (HRs) for all-cause mortality associated with major depression, adjusting for sociodemographic factors and comorbidities. Subanalyses assessed differences by PC treatment during 2005-2017. PC-specific mortality was examined using competing risks models.

RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS

In 1.3 million person-years of follow-up, 16 134 (9%) men with PC were diagnosed with major depression and 65 643 (36%) men died. After adjusting for sociodemographic factors and comorbidities, major depression was associated with significantly higher all-cause mortality in men with high-risk PC (HR, 1.50; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.44-1.55) or low- or intermediate-risk PC (1.64; 1.56-1.71). These risks were elevated regardless of PC treatment or age at PC diagnosis, except for youngest men (<55 yr) in whom the risks were nonsignificant. Major depression was also associated with increased PC-specific mortality in men with either high-risk PC (HR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.28-1.43) or low- or intermediate-risk PC (1.42; 1.27-1.59). This study was limited to Sweden and will need replication in other countries when feasible.

CONCLUSIONS

In this national cohort of men with PC, major depression was associated with ∼50% higher all-cause mortality. Men with PC need timely detection and treatment of depression to support their long-term outcomes and survival.

PATIENT SUMMARY

In this report, we examined the effects of depression on survival in men with prostate cancer. We found that among all men with prostate cancer, those who developed depression had a 50% higher risk of dying than those without depression. Men with prostate cancer need close monitoring for the detection and treatment of depression to improve their long-term health outcomes.

Suicide risk of chronic diseases and comorbidities: A Korean case-control study

OBJECTIVES

Chronic diseases including mental disorders have been associated with suicide. This study broadens the approach by incorporating a comprehensive list of chronic diseases and a context of comorbidities and explored their associations with suicide.

METHODS

Data-linkage between death registry and Korean National Health Insurance data was conducted. Suicide cases (n = 64,099) between 2009 and 2013 were 1:4 matched for gender and age to an alive control (n = 256,396). A total of 92 individual diseases of 9 broad categories were identified from insurance claims data. Conditional logistic regression was applied to assess the associations, adjusting for mental and behavioral disorders and socioeconomic status.

RESULTS

Suicide cases frequently experienced chronic diseases (90.0 %) and comorbidities (74.6 %). Chronic diseases greatly increased suicide risk and, among these, mental and behavioral disorders showed the highest suicide risk (OR = 7.53, 95 % CI = 7.32-7.74) followed by cardiovascular (OR = 3.36, 95 % CI = 3.26-3.47). For individual diseases, gastritis and duodenitis were most prevalent (68.1 %) among suicide cases but depressive disorder showed the highest risk (OR = 4.95, 95 % CI = 4.79-5.12). Suicide risk was strong in comorbid status sometimes comparable to odds for mental and behavioral disorder alone (e.g., OR for cardiovascular and eye vision-related diseases = 4.01, 95 % CI = 3.86-4.17).

LIMITATIONS

Differentiation of comorbidity was limited to pairs between major disease categories, neglecting the heterogeneity within categories.

CONCLUSION

Chronic diseases, in particular comorbidity, showed strong associations with suicide. This suggests that those with comorbidities feel that they are pushed to the extreme line, supporting comprehensive interventions for them to address wider reasons including psychological and social problems, besides medical problems.

Risk of suicidal behavior as a function of alcohol use disorder typologies: A Swedish population-based study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is one of the strongest predictors of suicidal behavior. Here, we measured risk of suicide attempt and death as a function of AUD typologies.

DESIGN

We used AUD typologies from previous latent class analysis: (i) externalizing subtype (characterized by externalizing symptomatology and early age of onset; individuals in this group have lower education and higher familial/social difficulties); (ii) subtype described by minimal psychopathology; and (iii) internalizing subtype (characterized by internalizing symptomatology and later age of onset; individuals in this group have higher education). We used class membership to predict distal outcomes (attempt and death) and performed regressions to evaluate whether differences in suicidal behavior were explained by the group characteristics (sex, age of onset, number and type of AUD registrations, familial/genetic risk for AUD, externalizing and internalizing behaviors, socio-economic indicators, marital status and childhood family status). We also evaluated the effect of suicide attempt prior to AUD.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

Based on longitudinal Swedish registry data, we included 217 074 individuals with AUD born 1950-80.

MEASUREMENTS

Suicide attempts were identified using medical registers and deaths using the mortality register.

FINDINGS

Individuals with the externalizing subtype had higher risks of suicidal behavior than other groups [attempt: externalizing versus minimal psychopathology: odds ratio (OR) = 1.35, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.35, 1.35; externalizing versus internalizing: OR = 1.47, 95% CI = 1.46, 1.48; death: externalizing versus minimal psychopathology: OR = 1.57, 95% CI = 1.57, 1.58; externalizing versus internalizing: OR = 1.99, 95% CI = 1.93, 2.06]. Individuals with minimal psychopathology had higher risks than those with internalizing symptomatology (attempt: OR = 1.09, 95% CI = 1.08, 1.10, death: OR = 1.26, 95% CI = 1.23, 1.30). These differences were explained by age at registration and were related to the number of registrations, sex, education, family disruption and suicide attempt prior to AUD.

CONCLUSIONS

Among people in Sweden, considering alcohol use disorder (AUD) heterogeneity appears to be a meaningful way to evaluate suicide risk. The highest risk of suicide attempt and death occurs in the externalizing subtype of AUD, followed by the minimal psychopathology subtype, and then the internalizing subtype.

Suicide in the Construction Industry: A Targeted Meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

With research suggesting an increased risk of suicide for those employed in the construction industry the present review aimed to provide an updated, targeted, and rigorous estimate of the relative risk of suicide for this population.

METHOD

Comprehensive searches of Medline, Psycinfo, Embase, Emcare, Web of Science, and Scopus databases, as well as grey literature and reference lists, were undertaken to identify studies which reported the rate or risk of construction industry workers' suicide. Only samples that did not incorporate other industries and utilized reference groups deemed representative of the general or employed populations, were included.

RESULTS

Eleven studies were included in the review. Primary analysis was undertaken on seven studies deemed to have wholly samples wholly representative of the construction industry. Despite a high level of heterogeneity (I2 = 98%), results suggest increased risk of construction worker suicide compared to the wider population. Random effect meta-analysis indicated a pooled relative suicide risk = 1.25 (95% CI 1.03-1.52), reported. A sensitivity analysis using less stringent inclusion criteria, demonstrated the robustness of these findings.

CONCLUSION

Despite limitations, this paper suggests that construction industry employees may have an elevated risk of suicide. Additionally, this review highlights the need for further research, using standardized methodologies, to generate more robust understandings. Future research will benefit by accounting for locale-specific cultural and socio-political factors and attempting to quantify more specific drivers of suicide risk for this population.

Long-term Risks of Depression and Suicide Among Men with Prostate Cancer: A National Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

A diagnosis of prostate cancer (PC) may cause psychosocial distress that worsens quality of life; however, long-term mental health outcomes are unclear.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the long-term risks of major depression and death by suicide in a large population-based cohort.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

This was a national cohort study of 180 189 men diagnosed with PC during 1998-2017 and 1 801 890 age-matched, population-based, control men in Sweden.

OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

Major depression and death by suicide were ascertained from nationwide outpatient, inpatient, and death records up to 2018. Cox regression was used to compute hazard ratios (HRs) adjusted for sociodemographic factors and comorbidities. Subanalyses assessed differences by PC treatment during 2005-2017.

RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS

Men diagnosed with high-risk PC had higher relative rates of major depression (adjusted HR [aHR] 1.82, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.75-1.89) and death by suicide (aHR 2.43, 95% CI 2.01-2.95). These associations persisted for ≥10 yr after PC diagnosis. The relative increase in major depression was lower among those treated with radiation (aHR 1.44, 95% CI 1.31-1.57) or surgery (aHR 1.60, 95% CI 1.31-1.95) in comparison to androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) alone (aHR 2.02, 95% CI 1.89-2.16), whereas the relative rate of suicide death was higher only among those treated solely with ADT (aHR 2.83, 95% CI 1.80-4.43). By contrast, men with low- or intermediate-risk PC had a modestly higher relative rate of major depression (aHR 1.19, 95% CI 1.16-1.23) and higher relative rate of suicide death at 3-12 mo after PC diagnosis (aHR 1.88, 95% CI 1.11-3.18) but not across the entire follow-up period (aHR 1.02, 95% CI 0.84-1.25). This study was limited to Sweden and will need replication in other populations.

CONCLUSIONS

In this large cohort, high-risk PC was associated with substantially higher relative rates of major depression and death by suicide, which persisted for ≥10 yr after PC diagnosis. PC survivors need close follow-up for timely detection and treatment of psychosocial distress.

PATIENT SUMMARY

In a large Swedish population, men with aggressive prostate cancer had higher long-term relative rates of depression and suicide.

Anxiety and Depression Among US Nursing Home Residents with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Background

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is highly prevalent among nursing home residents; however, few studies have focused on the psychological impact of this clinically significant condition on nursing home residents.

Objective

We examine the prevalence of, and factors associated with, anxiety and depression in nursing home residents with COPD.

Methods

Using the US 2018 Minimum Dataset (MDS), we conducted a cross-sectional study among 239,615 residents aged ≥50 years old in US Medicare/Medicaid certified nursing homes with COPD. Anxiety and depression were diagnosed based on clinical diagnoses, physical examination findings, and treatment orders. Multivariable adjusted Poisson models with a generalized estimating equations approach account for the clustering among residents within nursing homes.

Results

The average age of the study population was 79 years (SD: 10.6), 62.0% were women, and 43.7% had five or more comorbid conditions. In this population, 37.2% had anxiety, 57.6% had depression, and 27.5% had both mental health conditions. Women, current tobacco users, persons 50-64 years old, those who reported having moderate or severe pain, and nursing home residents with multimorbidity were more likely to have anxiety or depression than respective comparison groups.

Conclusion

Anxiety and depression are common among US nursing home residents with COPD. Women, medically complex patients, and those who report having moderate-to-severe pain appear to be more likely to have anxiety and depression. Clinical teams should be aware of these findings when managing nursing home residents with COPD and use various nonpharmacological and medical interventions for the effective management of anxiety and depression. Longitudinal studies evaluating how anxiety and depression affect the management of COPD and related outcomes, and how best to improve the quality of life of nursing home residents with COPD, are warranted.

Association of workplace violence and bullying with later suicide risk: a multicohort study and meta-analysis of published data

BACKGROUND

Workplace offensive behaviours, such as violence and bullying, have been linked to psychological symptoms, but their potential impact on suicide risk remains unclear. We aimed to assess the association of workplace violence and bullying with the risk of death by suicide and suicide attempt in multiple cohort studies.

METHODS

In this multicohort study, we used individual-participant data from three prospective studies: the Finnish Public Sector study, the Swedish Work Environment Survey, and the Work Environment and Health in Denmark study. Workplace violence and bullying were self-reported at baseline. Participants were followed up for suicide attempt and death using linkage to national health records. We additionally searched the literature for published prospective studies and pooled our effect estimates with those from published studies.

FINDINGS

During 1 803 496 person-years at risk, we recorded 1103 suicide attempts or deaths in participants with data on workplace violence (n=205 048); the corresponding numbers for participants with data on workplace bullying (n=191 783) were 1144 suicide attempts or deaths in 1 960 796 person-years, which included data from one identified published study. Workplace violence was associated with an increased risk of suicide after basic adjustment for age, sex, educational level, and family situation (hazard ratio 1·34 [95% CI 1·15-1·56]) and full adjustment (additional adjustment for job demands, job control, and baseline health problems, 1·25 [1·08-1·47]). Where data on frequency were available, a stronger association was observed among people with frequent exposure to violence (1·75 [1·27-2·42]) than occasional violence (1·27 [1·04-1·56]). Workplace bullying was also associated with an increased suicide risk (1·32 [1·09-1·59]), but the association was attenuated after adjustment for baseline mental health problems (1·16 [0·96-1·41]).

INTERPRETATION

Observational data from three Nordic countries suggest that workplace violence is associated with an increased suicide risk, highlighting the importance of effective prevention of violent behaviours at workplaces.

FUNDING

Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare, Academy of Finland, Finnish Work Environment Fund, and Danish Working Environment Research Fund.

Public health nurses experience of mental health encounters in the context of primary health care: a constructivist grounded theory study

BACKGROUND

In primary health care people with mental health needs are often overlooked or masked with physical complaints. It has been suggested that public health nurses lack sufficient knowledge when encountering people with mental health problems. Low levels of mental health literacy among professionals are associated with negative patient outcome. There is a need to understand public health nurses process and strategies used when encountering a person with mental health problems in order to promote mental health. This study aimed to construct a theory that explains the process of public health nurses experience when encountering people with mental health problems based on their knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about mental health.

METHODS

A constructivist grounded theory design was used to meet the aim of the study. Interviews were conducted with 13 public health nurses working in primary health care between October 2019 and June 2021, and the data analysis was performed according to the principles of Charmaz.

RESULTS

The core category, "Public health nurses as a relationship builder - to initiate the dialogue" reflected the process while the main categories "Being on your own", "Being on top of things- knowing your limits", and "Professional comfort zone" reflected conditions that were decisive for initiating a dialogue.

CONCLUSION

Managing mental health encounters in primary health care was a personal and complex decision-making process that depends on the public health nurses' professional comfort zone and acquired mental health literacy. Narratives of the public health nurses helped to construct a theory and understand the conditions for recognizing, managing and promoting mental health in primary health care.

Cognitive impairment and factors influencing depression in adolescents with suicidal and self-injury behaviors: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and suicide attempts (SAs) by adolescent patients with depression have become serious public health problems. There is still insufficient research evidence on the effects of NSSI and SAs on neurocognitive functioning in adolescents. Cognitive function alterations may be associated with SAs and self-injury. NSSI and SAs have different influencing factors.

METHODS

Participants were recruited from outpatient clinics and included 142 adolescent patients with depression (12-18 years old). This cohort included the SAs group (n = 52), NSSI group (n = 65), and depression without SAs/NSSI control group (n = 25). All participants underwent a clinical interview and neuropsychological assessment for group comparisons, and post-hoc tests were performed. Finally, partial correlation analysis was used to explore factors related to changes in cognitive function.

RESULTS

The SAs group performed significantly worse than the control group in executive function and working memory. The depression score was directly proportional to the executive function of the SAs group, whereas cognitive functioning in the NSSI group was associated with borderline traits and rumination.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that impairment of executive function and working memory may be a common pattern in adolescent depressed patients with SAs. However, borderline traits and rumination may be indicative of NSSI but not SAs.

Measures of suicidality in perinatal women: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Suicide is a leading cause of death for perinatal women. Identifying women at risk of suicide is critical. Research on the validity and/or reliability of measures assessing suicidality in perinatal women is limited. This review sought to: (1) identify; and (2) evaluate the psychometric properties of suicidality measures validated in perinatal populations.

METHODS

Nine electronic databases were systematically searched from inception to January 2022. Additional articles were identified through citation tracking. Study quality was assessed using an adapted tool, and the psychometric properties of measures were reviewed and presented using a narrative synthesis.

RESULTS

A total of 208 studies were included. Thirty-five studies reported psychometric data on ten suicidality measures. Fifteen studies reported both validity and reliability data, 12 reported more than one type of validity, seven validated more than one measure and four only reported reliability. Nearly all measures primarily screened for depression, with an item or subscale assessing suicidal ideation and/or behaviours. Three measures were specifically developed for perinatal women, but only two were validated in more than one study. The Postpartum Depression Screening Scale (PDSS), suicidal thoughts subscale, was validated most frequently.

LIMITATIONS

Methodological differences and variability between the measures (e.g., suicidality construct assessed, number of items and administration) precluded direct comparisons.

CONCLUSION

Further validation of suicidality measures is needed in perinatal women. Screening for perinatal suicidality often occurs in the context of depression. The development of a standalone measure specifically assessing suicidality in perinatal women may be warranted, particularly for use in maternity care settings.

Temporal Trends and Characteristics of Adult Patients in Emergency Department Related to Suicide Attempt or Self-Harm in Korea, 2016-2020

BACKGROUND

The implementation of an effective suicide prevention program requires the identification and monitoring of subpopulations with elevated risks for suicide in consideration of demographic characteristics, to facilitate the development of tailored countermeasures for tackling the risk factors of suicide. We examined the annual trends in emergency department (ED) visits for suicide attempts (SAs) or self-harm and investigated the sex- and age-specific characteristics of individuals who visited the ED for SA and self-harm.

METHODS

Data on ED visits for SAs or self-harm in Korea from 2016 to 2020 were extracted from the National Emergency Department Information System and assessed. We evaluated the age-standardized incidence rate of ED visits for SAs or self-harm, and hospital mortality among individuals who visited the ED for SAs or self-harm. In addition, the characteristics of the individuals were compared according to sex and age.

RESULTS

We identified 145,963 ED visits for SAs or self-harm (0.42% of the total ED visits) during the study period. The rate of ED visits increased in the youngest age group (19-29 years old), and was more prominent among women (increased by an annual average of 22.5%), despite the coronavirus disease pandemic. The middle-aged group (45-64 years old) had a higher rate of mortality than other age groups, and the highest proportion of individuals on Medical Aid.

CONCLUSION

It is necessary to plan age- and gender-specific suicide prevention programs that focus on improving the limited public mental health resources for the vulnerable populations.

Clinical Markers Associated With Risk of Suicide or Drug Overdose Among Individuals With Smoking Exposure: A Longitudinal Follow-up Study of the COPDGene Cohort

BACKGROUND

Studies have shown that COPD and smoking are associated with increased suicide risk. To date, there are no prospective studies examining suicide risk among individuals with smoking exposure along a spectrum of pulmonary diseases ranging from normal spirometry to severe COPD.

RESEARCH QUESTION

Which clinical variables predict death by suicide or overdose of indeterminate intent in a large cohort of individuals with smoking exposure within the Genetic Epidemiology of COPD (COPDGene) study?

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

We studied data from 9,930 participants involved in COPDGene, a multisite, prospective cohort study of individuals with smoking exposure. Primary cause of adjudicated deaths was identified by using death certificates, family reports, and medical records. Time to death by suicide/overdose was examined as the primary outcome in Cox regression models including age, sex, race, BMI, pack-years, current smoking status, airflow limitation (FEV1 % predicted), dyspnea (modified Medical Research Council scale score ≥ 2), 6-min walk distance, supplemental oxygen use, and severe exacerbations in the prior year with time-varying covariates and other causes of death as a competing risk.

RESULTS

The cohort was 47% female and 33% Black (67% White); they had a mean ± SD age of 59.6 ± 9.0 years and a mean FEV1 % predicted of 76.1 ± 25.5. Sixty-three individuals died by suicide/overdose. Factors associated with risk of suicide/overdose were current smoking (hazard ratio [HR], 6.44; 95% CI, 2.64-15.67), use of sedative/hypnotics (HR, 2.33; 95% CI, 1.24-4.38), and dyspnea (HR, 2.23; 95% CI, 1.34-3.70). Lower risk was associated with older age (per-decade HR, 0.45; 95% CI, 0.31-0.67), higher BMI (HR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.91-0.99), and African-American race (HR, 0.41; 95% CI, 0.23-0.74). Severity of airflow limitation (FEV % predicted) was not associated with suicide risk.

INTERPRETATION

In this well-characterized cohort of individuals with smoking exposure with and without COPD, risk factors for suicide/overdose were identified that emphasize the subjective experience of illness over objective assessments of lung function.

Scrutinizing the Profile and Risk Factors of Suicide: A Perspective from a Case-Control Study Focused on a Northern Region of Spain

Suicide is a major public health problem the prevention of which has become a priority, and, to this end, knowledge of its risk factors is essential. This study aims to evaluate the impact of some social, medico-legal, and clinical issues on suicide deaths. A total of 135 cases were identified as suicides that occurred in a region of northern Spain between 2018 and 2020. Controls (three for each case) were matched by age, sex, and urban-rural areas. The information was collected retrospectively through electronic health record systems. A binary logistic regression analysis was performed to study the association between individual risk factors and suicide. Being male (78.5%), between 40 and 60 years of age, unmarried (70.9%), and unemployed (85%) were associated with suicide deaths. Although the existence of a previous self-harm attempt is presented as the most robust risk factor (OR 22.121 [8.997-54.389]), the presence of a psychiatric diagnosis (OR 12.583 [7.686-20.601]) and cancer (OR 3.729 [1.845-7.536]) also showed a significant relationship with suicide (p < 0.05). Defining and knowing the risk factors for suicide helps to better understand the profiles of those individuals who are vulnerable, and enables prevention actions to be taken in both social and medical spheres.

Association between Asthma and Suicidality in 9-12-Year-Old Youths

PURPOSE

Suicidal ideation and attempts in youth are a growing health concern, and more data are needed regarding their biological underpinnings. Asthma is a common chronic inflammatory disorder in youth and has been associated with suicidal ideation and attempts in adolescent and adult populations, but data in younger children and early adolescents are lacking. We wished to study associations of asthma with childhood suicidality considering asthma's potential as a clinically relevant model for childhood chronic immune dysregulation.

METHODS

Using data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study (n = 11,876, 47.8% female, mean age 9.9 years at baseline assessment and 12.0 years at two-year follow-up), we assessed associations between asthma and suicidal ideation and attempts through baseline to two-year follow-up.

RESULTS

Asthma history as defined by parent report (n = 2282, 19.2% of study population) was associated with suicide attempts (SA) (odds ratio (OR) = 1.44, p = 0.01), and this association remained significant even when controlling for demographics, socioeconomic factors, and environmental factors (OR = 1.46, p = 0.028). History of asthma attacks was associated with both suicidal ideation (SI) and SA when controlling for demographics, socioeconomic factors, and environmental factors (OR = 1.27, p = 0.042; OR = 1.83, p = 0.004, respectively). The association of asthma attack with SA remained significant when controlling for self-reported psychopathology (OR = 1.92, p = 0.004). The total number of asthma attacks was associated with both SI and SA (OR = 1.03, p = 0.043; OR = 1.06, p = 0.05, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Findings suggest an association between asthma and suicidality in early adolescence. Further research is needed to investigate mechanisms underlying this relationship.

Risks of Depression and Suicide After Diagnosis With Heart Failure: A National Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

Heart failure (HF) has been associated with psychosocial distress, but other long-term mental health sequelae are unclear.

OBJECTIVES

In this study, the authors sought to determine risks of major depression and suicide, susceptible time periods, and sex-specific differences after HF diagnosis in a large population-based cohort.

METHODS

A national cohort study was conducted of all 154,572 persons diagnosed with HF at ages 18-75 years during 2002-2017 in Sweden and 1,545,720 age- and sex-matched population-based control subjects who were followed up for major depression and suicide ascertained from nationwide inpatient, outpatient, and death records through 2018. Poisson regression was used to compute incidence rate ratios (IRRs) while adjusting for sociodemographic factors and comorbidities.

RESULTS

HF was associated with increased risks of major depression and death by suicide in both men and women, with highest risks in the first 3 months, then declining to modest risks at ≥12 months after HF diagnosis. Within 3 months after HF diagnosis, adjusted IRRs for new-onset major depression were 3.34 (95% CI: 3.04-3.68) in men and 2.78 (95% CI: 2.51-3.09) in women, and for suicide death were 4.47 (95% CI: 2.62-7.62) in men and 2.82 (95% CI: 1.11-7.12) in women. These risks were elevated regardless of age at HF diagnosis. HF was associated with significantly more depression cases in women (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

In this large national cohort, HF was associated with substantially increased risks of depression and suicide in men and women, with highest risks occurring within 3 months after HF diagnosis. Men and women with HF need timely detection and treatment of depression and suicidality.

Risk factors for suicide one year after discharge from hospitalization for physical illness in Denmark

While suicide risk following psychiatric hospitalization has been studied extensively, risk following hospitalization for physical illness is less well understood. We used random forests to examine risk factors for suicide in the year following physical illness hospitalization in Denmark. In this case-cohort study, suicide cases were all individuals who died by suicide within one year of a hospitalization for a physical illness (n = 4563) and the comparison subcohort was a 5% random sample of individuals living in Denmark on January 1, 1995 who had a hospitalization for a physical illness between January 1, 1995 and December 31, 2015 (n = 177,664). We used random forests to examine identify the most important predictors of suicide stratified by sex. For women, the top 10 most important variables for random forest prediction were all related to psychiatric diagnoses. For men, many physical health conditions also appeared important to suicide prediction. Among the top 10 variables in the variable importance plot for men were influenza, injuries to the head, nervous system surgeries, and cerebrovascular diseases. Suicide prediction after a physical illness hospitalization requires comprehensive consideration of different and multiple factors for each sex.

Do neoliberal values provide a fertile soil for suicidal ideation?

BACKGROUND

Values associated with neoliberal ideologies are blamed for damaging the social fabric. They may also have deleterious effects on suicidal ideation.

OBJECTIVE

We investigated whether neoliberal values were associated with the risk for suicidal ideation through a set of mediating factors (suicide stigma, help-seeking attitudes, perceived stress, and suicide acceptability).

METHODS

A total of 508 (249 female) adults from the U.S. responded to a self-administered questionnaire that contained measures of suicidal ideation, neoliberal values, suicide stigma, help-seeking attitudes, perceived stress, and suicide acceptability. We tested a path model that linked neoliberal values to suicidal ideation through multiple mediators. We tested total versus partial mediation models.

RESULTS

We found empirical evidence for a full mediation of the association of neoliberal values with perceived stress. Neoliberal values were associated with suicide stigma; suicide stigma was associated with negative attitudes towards help-seeking, which, in turn, were associated with high levels of perceived stress. The association of neoliberal values with suicide acceptability was partially mediated. Perceived stress was positively associated with suicide risk directly and indirectly through suicide acceptability.

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest that values related to neoliberal ideologies prepare a context that fosters the risk for suicide. For a contextualized understanding of suicidal behavior, more research is needed that explores the role of social, cultural, political, and economic ideologies in the suicidal process.

Health care utilization among individuals who die by suicide as compared to the general population: a population-based register study in Sweden

Background

Globally, 700 000 people die every year by suicide. Health care consultation patterns the period before suicide could be one potential way to identify people at risk for suicide. Therefore, this study examines health care patterns up to one year prior to the suicide by age, sex and prior diagnoses and specifically investigates if and how this differs from the general population of Skåne, Sweden.

Methods

This cohort study includes all individuals, aged 15 and older, that died by suicide in Region Skåne, Sweden from 2004 to 2015 (n = 1653). The individuals were identified through the Cause of death register and then linked to the Skåne healthcare register. Health care data was analyzed as proportions consulting different types of health care the month and year preceding the suicide, we also investigated the impact of age, sex and the occurrence of prior psychiatric and pain diagnoses. Additionally, we compared the proportion of consulting care among the suicide victims and the general population of Skåne.

Results

In the month before their death, 53% of the suicide victims had any health care consultation, compared with 20% in the general population of Skåne, a given month (p < 0.0001). The corresponding figures for the year prior to suicide was 86% among those who died by suicide, compared to 69% in the general population of Skåne, a given year (p < 0.0001). Women, and those having a documented history of psychiatric diagnosis were more likely to have health care consultations in the month and year preceding suicide (p < 0.001), compared to men and suicide victims without a history of psychiatric disease. Older adults that died by suicide, were less likely to consult psychiatric care compared to the younger suicide victims (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

A majority of the suicide victims consulted health care in the near time before death and the proportion of seeking health care was significantly higher than in the general population of Skåne and higher among female suicide victims as compared to males. Alternative preventive screening measures should be considered for individuals consulting health care, especially for older people and individuals outside the psychiatric care.

Investigation of the Relationship between Psychiatry Visit and Suicide after Deliberate Self-Harm: A Longitudinal National Cohort Study (Preprint)

BACKGROUND

Deliberate self-harm (DSH) along with old age, physical disability, and low socioeconomic status are well-known contributors to suicide-related deaths. In recent years, South Korea has the highest suicide death rate among all Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development countries. Owing to the difficulty of accessing data of individuals with DSH behavior who died by suicide, the factors associated with suicide death in these high-risk individuals have not been sufficiently explored. There have been conflicting findings with regard to the relationship between previous psychiatric visits and suicidal death.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to address the following 3 questions: Are there considerable differences in demographics, socioeconomic status, and clinical features in individuals who received psychiatric diagnosis (either before DSH or after DSH event) and those who did not? Does receiving a psychiatric diagnosis from the Department of Psychiatry, as opposed to other departments, affect survival? and Which factors related to DSH contribute to deaths by suicide?

METHODS

We used the Korean National Health Insurance Service Database to design a cohort of 5640 individuals (3067/5640, 54.38% women) who visited the hospital for DSH (International Classification of Diseases codes X60-X84) between 2002 and 2020. We analyzed whether there were significant differences among subgroups of individuals with DSH behavior based on psychiatric diagnosis status (whether they had received a psychiatric diagnosis, either before or after the DSH event) and the department from which they had received the psychiatric diagnosis. Another main outcome of the study was death by suicide. Cox regression models yielded hazard ratios (HRs) for suicide risk. Patterns were plotted using Kaplan-Meier survival curves.

RESULTS

There were significant differences in all factors including demographic, health-related, socioeconomic, and survival variables among the groups that were classified according to psychiatric diagnosis status (P<.001). The group that did not receive a psychiatric diagnosis had the lowest survival rate (867/1064, 81.48%). Analysis drawn using different departments from where the individual had received a psychiatric diagnosis showed statistically significant differences in all features of interest (P<.001). The group that had received psychiatric diagnoses from the Department of Psychiatry had the highest survival rate (888/951, 93.4%). These findings were confirmed using the Kaplan-Meier survival curves (P<.001). The severity of DSH (HR 4.31, 95% CI 3.55-5.26) was the most significant contributor to suicide death, followed by psychiatric diagnosis status (HR 1.84, 95% CI 1.47-2.30).

CONCLUSIONS

Receiving psychiatric assessment from a health care professional, especially a psychiatrist, reduces suicide death in individuals who had deliberately harmed themselves before. The key characteristics of individuals with DSH behavior who die by suicide are male sex, middle age, comorbid physical disabilities, and higher socioeconomic status.

Relationship Between Affective Temperaments and Suicide Risk in Patients With First-Onset Major Depressive Disorder

Background

People may endorse suicidal behavior during a major depressive episode. Affective temperaments may play a role in this risk. We explored the relationship between affective temperaments and suicide and identified some traits that can predict suicide risk in depression.

Materials and Methods

We analyzed the results of the Temperament Evaluation of the Memphis, Pisa, Paris, and San Diego Auto-questionnaire (TEMPS-A) in 284 participants recruited from a psychiatric clinic and the community in Beijing and compared the subscale scores (temperaments of cyclothymic, dysthymic, anxious, irritable, and hyperthymic) among major depressive disorders (MDDs) vs. the general population as well as depressive patients with vs. without suicide risk, using Student's test, chi-square test, rank-sum test, and multivariable regression modeling.

Results

The incidence of suicidal risk in depressive subjects was 47.62% (80/168). Being unmarried (p < 0.001), unemployed (p = 0.007), and temperaments of dysthymic, cyclothymic, anxious, and irritable scores (all p < 0.001) were significantly more prevalent in patients with depression than in the general population. Young age (p < 0.001), female sex (p = 0.037), unmarried (p = 0.001), more severe depression (p < 0.001), and dysthymic, anxious, and cyclothymic temperament (all p < 0.05) were significantly more prevalent in patients with depressive disorder than those without suicide risk. The logistic regression analysis showed that younger age (odds ratio [OR] = 0.937, 95% CI 0.905∼0.970), female sex (OR = 2.606, 95% CI 1.142∼5.948), more severe depression (OR = 1.145, 95% CI 1.063∼1.234), cyclothymic temperament (OR = 1.275, 95% CI 1.102∼1.475), and dysthymic temperament (OR = 1.265, 95% CI 1.037∼1.542) were all independently associated with high suicidal risk in patients with first-onset major depression (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

Temperament traits differ between the general population and people suffering from MDD. Subjects with MDD who have much more severe depressive symptoms and a cyclothymic or dysthymic temperament were at a high risk of suicide.

Frequency and Associated Factors of Suicidal Ideation in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

We aimed to examine the prevalence of suicidal ideation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and the association between demographic and clinical variables and the occurrence of suicidal thoughts. This was a cross-sectional study. Sociodemographic and clinical data were recorded, and questionnaires were used to assess depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory), comorbidities (Charlson Index), cognitive performance (Mini Mental State Examination), and quality of life (EuroQoL-5 dimensions and CAT). Specific questions about suicide-related behavior were included. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified the significant factors associated with previous suicidal ideation and suicide attempts. The analysis included 1190 subjects. The prevalence of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts were 12.1% and 2.5%, respectively. Severely depressed patients had the highest prevalence of suicide-related behavior. The adjusted logistic model identified factors significantly associated with suicidal ideation: sex (odds ratio (OR) for women vs. men = 2.722 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.771-4.183)), depression score (OR = 1.163 (95% IC = 1.127-1.200)), and Charlson Index (OR 1.228 (95% IC 1.082-1.394)). Suicidal ideation is common in COPD patients, especially in women. While addressing suicidal ideation and suicide prevention, clinicians should first consider the management of depressive symptomatology and the improvement of coping strategies.

Spatio-temporal Distribution of Suicide Risk in Iran: A Bayesian Hierarchical Analysis of Repeated Cross-sectional Data

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to estimate the space-time distribution of the risk of suicide mortality in Iran from 2006 to 2016.

METHODS

In this repeated cross-sectional study, the age-standardized risk of suicide mortality from 2006 to 2016 was determined. To estimate the cumulative and temporal risk, the Besag, York, and Mollié and Bernardinelli models were used.

RESULTS

The relative risk of suicide mortality was greater than 1 in 43.0% of Iran's provinces (posterior probability >0.8; range, 0.46 to 3.93). The spatio-temporal model indicated a high risk of suicide in 36.7% of Iran's provinces. In addition, significant upward temporal trends in suicide risk were observed in the provinces of Tehran, Fars, Kermanshah, and Gilan. A significantly decreasing pattern of risk was observed for men (β, -0.013; 95% credible interval [CrI], -0.010 to -0.007), and a stable pattern of risk was observed for women (β, -0.001; 95% CrI, -0.010 to 0.007). A decreasing pattern of suicide risk was observed for those aged 15-29 years (β, -0.006; 95% CrI, -0.010 to -0.0001) and 30-49 years (β, -0.001; 95% CrI, -0.018 to -0.002). The risk was stable for those aged >50 years.

CONCLUSIONS

The highest risk of suicide mortality was observed in Iran's northwestern provinces and among Kurdish women. Although a low risk of suicide mortality was observed in the provinces of Tehran, Fars, and Gilan, the risk in these provinces is increasing rapidly compared to other regions.

A systematic review of suicidal ideation and behaviors among adults with spinal cord injury

CONTEXT

Suicide is a public health crisis within the United States. Individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) are vulnerable to negative outcomes such as suicide.

OBJECTIVE

This systematic review describes frequency of suicidal ideation (SI) and behaviors (suicide attempt [SA] and deaths) among samples of adults living with SCI. Associated risk and protective factors of SI and suicidal behaviors were also explored.

METHODS

On July 7, 2021, OVID Medline, EMBASE, OVID PsycINFO, Web of Science Core Collection, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar databases were searched for SI, SA, and deaths by suicide among adults with a history of SCI. Risk of bias (RoB) was assessed using the Effective Public Health Practice Project (EPHPP) quality assessment tool. Results were synthesized descriptively considering the likely impact of RoB. The updated Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 reporting method was used.

RESULTS

Sixty-nine articles were included. Frequency of SI and SAs within study samples ranged from 4% to 67%, and 0% to approximately 66%, respectively. While assessment methods for SI and SA widely varied, suicide deaths data sources were more consistent. Studies assessing SI and SA generally had high RoB and the overall strength of evidence was low. Stronger observational study designs assessing death by suicide had low RoB and the overall strength of evidence was high. Very few studies examined protective factors.

DISCUSSION

Findings support previous work. Quality of evidence, and therefore confidence in the frequency of these outcomes, was impacted by the use of assessment measures without sufficient psychometric properties. The field will benefit from use of psychometrically sound measures to assess for SI, SA and suicide deaths. Furthermore, additional work is needed to elucidate risk and protective factors and to clearly characterize samples to increase generalizability of findings to the larger SCI community, including standardized reporting of SCI characteristics (e.g. use of American Spinal Injury Association classification system). Ultimately, improved suicide assessment and risk management is expected to prevent suicide among those living with SCI.

REGISTRATION

CRD42020164686.

Disease risk analysis for schizophrenia patients by an automatic AHP framework

BACKGROUND

Based on more than 15 million follow-up records of 404,426 patients from Guangdong Mental Health Center over the past 10 years, this study aims to propose a disease risk analysis and prediction model to support chronic disease management and clinical research for schizophrenia patients.

METHODS

Based on a mental health information and intelligent data processing platform, we design an automatic AHP framework called AutoAHP to analyze and predict the disease risks of schizophrenia patients. Through automatic extraction, transformation and integration of follow-up data in the real world such as demography, treatment, and the disease course, a chronic database of patient status is established. In combination with age-period-cohort, logistic regression and Cox models, we apply the AutoAHP to assess disease risk and implement risk prediction in practice.

RESULTS

A list of essential factors for risk prediction are identified, including annual changes in mental health policy, public support, regional difference, patient gender, compliance, and social function. After the verification of 1,222,038 complete disease course and treatment records of 256,050 patients, the AutoAHP framework achieves a precision of 0.923, a recall of 0.924, and a F1 of 0.923. The model is demonstrated to be superior to general models and has better performance in risk prediction.

CONCLUSIONS

Aiming at the risk assessment of patients with schizophrenia which is influenced by factors, such as time, region and complication, the AutoAHP framework is able to be applied as a model in combination with logistic regression and Cox models to support clinical analysis of disease risk related factors and assist decision-making in chronic disease management.

[Why do we require clinical guidelines for suicide prevention?]

Trotz der Relevanz des Themas Suizidalität und gut bekannter Risikofaktoren gibt es bisher keine deutsche Leitlinie zur Suizidalität im Erwachsenenalter. In diesem Beitrag werden zunächst die Geschichte und die Hintergründe der Arbeit mit Leitlinien beschrieben. Der aktuelle Stand der Leitlinien für psychische Erkrankungen in Deutschland wird dargestellt und auf suizidpräventive Inhalte hin untersucht. Die Notwendigkeit evidenzbasierter Suizidprävention und einer spezifischen Leitlinie zur Suizidprävention bei Erwachsenen wird diskutiert.

Nur durch gezielte Suizidpräventionsstrategien und Interventionen für die jeweiligen Risikogruppen und unter Beachtung von Alters- und Geschlechtsspezifität kann für alle Betroffenen eine flächendeckende, gut erreichbare, bedarfs- und versorgungsgerechte, finanzierbare sowie nachhaltige medizinische Versorgung auf einem hohen Niveau sichergestellt werden. Dies gilt für den ambulanten und den stationären Bereich sowie für deren Schnittstellen. Bei Suizidalität handelt es sich um ein diagnoseübergreifendes, in unterschiedlichen Versorgungskontexten auftretendes Syndrom mit komplexem Behandlungsbedarf, weshalb intersektorale und multiprofessionelle Aspekte in einer entsprechenden Leitlinie besonders zu adressieren sind. Wissenschaftliche Evidenz und interdisziplinärer Konsens unter Expertinnen und Experten zum Umgang mit suizidalem Verhalten in der medizinischen Versorgung können dazu beitragen, Morbidität und Mortalität im Zusammenhang mit Suizidalität zu reduzieren. Im August 2021 wurde die Finanzierung einer S3-Leitlinie „Umgang mit Suizidalität“ vom Innovationsfonds des Gemeinsamen Bundesausschusses bewilligt.

An Evaluation of 5-Year Web Analytics for HeadsUpGuys: A Men's Depression E-Mental Health Resource

The present study reports an evaluation of web analytics, over a 5-year period, for HeadsUpGuys.org, an eHealth resource for men with depression. Google Analytics, Search Console, and Tag Manager were used to monitor user activity over the course of the website's first 5 years (June 15, 2015-June 15, 2020). Through this period, HeadsUpGuys had a total of 1,665,356 unique users, amounting to 1,948,481 sessions and 3,328,258 page views. Organic traffic accounted for the highest proportion (53.44%; n = 1,041,277) of website sessions. Four of the top 10 Google search queries that brought users to the website related to suicidality. Three countries (United States, United Kingdom, Canada) accounted for almost three-quarters (71.10%; n = 1,385,485) of the site's traffic. Nearly three-quarters (73.35%; n = 1,429,285) of sessions occurred on a mobile device. The goal conversion rate for the Self Check was 60.27%. The average time on page was 2 min 53 s, with a bounce rate of 65.92%, and an exit rate of 57.20%. The goal conversion rate for the Stress Test was 52.89%. The average time on page was 4 min 8 s, with a bounce rate of 72.40% and an exit rate of 48.88%. The conversion rate for the final goal was 11.53%, indicating that approximately one in 10 visitors to the site had a session of at least 3 min. The findings illustrate the potential of eHealth resources to support men's mental health and provide a real-world benchmark to help advance the men's eHealth field.

Comparative risk of suicide by specific substance use disorders: A national cohort study

Substance use disorders (SUDs) are important risk factors for suicide, yet little is known about how suicide risks vary by specific SUDs. We examined these risks for the first time in a large general population to facilitate comparisons across SUDs. A national cohort study was conducted of all 6,947,191 adults in Sweden. SUDs (opioid, sedative/hypnotic, hallucinogen, cannabis, amphetamine, cocaine, and alcohol use disorders) were identified using inpatient, outpatient, and crime data, and suicide deaths using nationwide death data with follow-up during 2003-2016. Cox regression was used to compute hazard ratios (HRs) for suicide death while adjusting for sociodemographic factors and psychiatric, SUD, and somatic comorbidities. Co-sibling analyses assessed for confounding by unmeasured shared familial (genetic and/or environmental) factors. In 79.8 million person-years of follow-up, 15,616 (0.2%) suicide deaths were identified. All SUDs were associated with significantly increased risks, with HRs ranging from 12- to 26-fold and 2.5- to 6.4-fold before and after adjusting for covariates, respectively. After adjusting for all covariates, opioid use disorder was the strongest risk factor (HR, 6.39; 95% CI, 5.53-7.38) (P ≤ 0.002 compared with any other SUD), followed by sedative/hypnotic use disorder (4.62; 4.06-5.27) (P ≤ 0.009 compared with any other SUD except opioid or hallucinogen). Most associations persisted after controlling for shared familial factors, consistent with causal effects. In this large national cohort, all SUDs were associated with significantly increased risks of suicide death, especially opioid and sedative/hypnotic use disorders. These findings may improve risk stratification and inform interventions to prevent suicide in the highest-risk subgroups with SUDs.

Suicide prevention strategies for older persons-An integrative review of empirical and theoretical papers

AIM

To synthesize suicide prevention strategies for older adults. The review question was Which suicide prevention strategies are useful for older adults?

DESIGN

Integrative review.

DATA SOURCES

Academic Search Premier, CINAHL, Ovid PsycINFO and PubMed were searched for articles published between January 2009 and December 2019.

REVIEW METHODS

An integrative review of quantitative, qualitative and theoretical papers with a qualitative thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Key aspects of the included studies contributed to the formulation of four themes: (1) Recognizing older adults' physical and/or mental health problems and referring them for help and treatment, (2) Designing an educational programme, (3) Communication and dialogue about warning signs and (4) Social support and awareness of causing significant others emotional pain. The findings indicate an urgent need to identify effective suicide prevention strategies for older adults.

Chronic Lung Diseases and the Risk of Depressive Symptoms Based on the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study: A Prospective Cohort Study

Chronic lung diseases (CLDs) can reduce patients’ quality of life. However, evidence for the relationship between CLD and occurrence with depressive symptoms remains unclear. This study aims to determine the associations between CLD and depressive symptoms incidence, using the data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). CLD was identified via survey questionnaire and hospitalization. The follow-up survey was conducted in 2018 and depressive symptoms were assessed by the 10-item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D-10). A total of 10,508 participants were studied with an average follow-up period of 3 years. A total of 2706 patients (25.8%) with newly diagnosed depressive symptoms were identified. The standardized incidence rate of depressive symptoms in baseline population with and without chronic pulmonary disease was 11.9/100 and 8.3/100 person-years, respectively. The Cox proportional risk model showed that CLD was a significant predictor of depressive symptoms (HR: 1.449, 95% CI: 1.235–1.700) after adjusting for covariates, and the HRs of depressive symptoms were higher in those participants with current smoking (HR: 1.761, 95% CI: 1.319–2.352), men (HR: 1.529, 95% CI: 1.236–1.892), living in rural areas (HR: 1.671, 95% CI: 1.229–2.272), with dyslipidemia (HR: 1.896, 95% CI: 1.180–3.045), and suffering from comorbidity (HR: 1.518, 95% CI: 1.104–2.087) at baseline survey. CLD was an independent risk factor of depressive symptoms in China. The mental health of CLD patients deserves more attention.

Electroconvulsive Therapy and the Risk of Suicide in Hospitalized Patients With Major Depressive Disorder

Importance

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is indicated for severe depression, including depression with psychosis, catatonia, and/or an elevated suicide risk. However, the association of ECT with suicide risk is uncertain.

Objective

To determine the association between ECT and the risk of suicide in patients with unipolar major depressive disorder.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This registry-based cohort study used patient data from Swedish national registers. Patients with a record of inpatient care between January 1, 2012, and October 31, 2018, for moderate depression, severe depression, or severe depression with psychosis were included in the study. Propensity score matching (1:1) was used to balance risk factors for suicide at baseline between patients treated with and without ECT during the inpatient episode.

Exposures

Data from the Swedish National Quality Register for ECT and the Swedish National Inpatient Register were combined to identify patients who had received ECT during the inpatient episode. National registers were used to identify risk factors for suicide.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Suicide within 3 and 12 months of admission to inpatient care was analyzed. Cox regression analyses were used to adjust for confounders.

Results

The study included 28 557 patients (mean [SD] age, ECT group, 55.9 [18.4] years; non-ECT group, 45.2 [19.2] years; 15 856 women [55.5%]). In the matched sample of 5525 patients in each group, 62 patients (1.1%) in the ECT group and 90 patients (1.6%) in the non-ECT group died of suicide within 12 months (hazard ratio [HR], 0.72; 95% CI, 0.52-0.99). Electroconvulsive therapy was significantly associated with a decreased risk of suicide in patients with psychotic features (HR, 0.20; 95% CI, 0.08-0.54) and those aged 45 to 64 years (HR, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.30-0.99) or 65 years or older (HR, 0.30; 95% CI, 0.15-0.59), but not in patients aged 44 years or younger (HR, 1.22; 95% CI, 0.68-2.16).

Conclusions and Relevance

The results of this cohort study support the continued use of ECT to reduce suicide risk in hospitalized patients who are severely depressed, especially those who are older than 45 years and those with a psychotic subtype.

Risk Factors for Suicide and Suicide Attempts Among Patients With Treatment-Resistant Depression: Nested Case-Control Study

The risk of suicide is elevated among patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Risk factors for suicide and suicide attempts among cases and controls with TRD were investigated using data from nationwide Swedish registers. Among 119,407 antidepressant initiators with a diagnosis of depression, 15,631 patients who started a third sequential treatment trial during the same depressive episode were classified with TRD. A nested case-control study compared cases with suicide and suicide attempts with up to three closely matched controls. Sociodemographic and clinical risk factors were assessed using conditional logistic regression analyses. In all, 178 patients died by suicide and 1,242 experienced a suicide attempt during follow-up. History of suicide attempts, especially if <1 year after the attempt, was a significant independent risk factor for suicide (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 8.9; 95% confidence interval [CI], 5.1-15.7) as were 10 to 12 years of education compared to lower education (aOR, 1.69; 95% CI, 1.02-2.81). For attempted suicide, the strongest independent risk factors were history of suicide attempts (<1 year aOR, 5.1; 95% CI, 4.0-6.5), substance abuse (aOR, 2.6; 95% CI, 2.2-3.1), personality disorders (aOR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.5-2.3), and somatic comorbidity (aOR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.04-3.9). Suicide attempts, especially if recent, are strong risk factors for completed suicide among patients with TRD. Established risk factors for suicide attempts were confirmed for patients with TRD.

Predictors of completed suicide: Results from the suicide registry program in the west of Iran

Suicide is a crucial public health problem with a serious harmful impact on individuals, families, and societies. Therefore, the current study aimed to evaluate the predictors of death or serious injury related outcome regarding this lethal phenomenon in Hamadan Province. In this registry-based study we used all of suicide attempt entered in Hamadan Suicide Registry Program from January 2016 to the end of 2017. Serious injury and death were considered as suicide worse outcome and its prognostic factors were examined using logistic regression model. From 2493 patients with suicide attempts in 5.61 % and 4.09 % of them, suicide behaviour led to serious injury and death, respectively. Males had 2.83 times higher odds of the worse suicide outcomes ([OR = 2.83, 95 % CI: 1.71, 4.68)], P < 0.001). Moreover, the odds of worse outcomes of suicide in individuals with low level of education, advanced age and with the history of suicidal ideation was significantly higher (P < 0.05). Among different suicide methods, the highest odds of suicide worse outcomes were related to self-immolation, falls, hanging, self-harm, poisoning, and drugs (P < 0.001). We found that the increase odds of suicide worse outcomes were associated with individuals advance age, low level of education, time of suicide attempt, previous history of suicidal ideation and choosing self-immolation, falls, hanging, self-harm, poisoning, and drugs as a suicide method.

Unmet Need for Mental Healthcare in a Population Sample in Sweden: A Cross-Sectional Study of Inequalities Based on Gender, Education, and Country of Birth

This cross-sectional study investigated if gender, education, and country of birth were associated with perceived need and unmet need for mental healthcare (i.e., refraining from seeking care, or perceiving care as insufficient when seeking it). Questionnaire and register data from 2008 were collected for 3987 individuals, aged 19-64 years, in a random population-based sample from western Sweden. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analyses were used. Men were less likely to perceive a need for care than were women, even after adjusting for mental well-being. Men were also less likely to seek care and perceiving care as sufficient. People with secondary education were less likely to seek care than those with university education. There were no statistically significant differences based on country of birth. The observed gender and education-based inequalities increases our understanding of where interventions can be implemented. These inequalities in unmet need for mental healthcare should be targeted by the healthcare system.

Factors Related to Suicide Attempts: The Roles of Childhood Abuse and Spirituality

Objectives: The purpose of this article was to identify independent factors associated with suicide attempts in patients with depression and/or anxiety. Background and Aims: This study was conducted in order to examine whether risk and protective psychological factors influence the risk of suicide attempts among outpatients with anxiety and/or depressive disorders. In this regard, explanatory models have been reported to detect high-risk groups for suicide attempt. We also examined whether identified factors serve as mediators on suicide attempts. Materials and Methods: Patients from 18 to 65 years old from an outpatient clinic at Seoul St. Mary's Hospital were invited to join clinical studies. From September 2010 to November 2017, a total of 737 participants were included in the final sample. The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-being Scale (FACIT-Sp-12), and Functional Social Support Questionnaire (FSSQ) were used to assess psychiatric symptoms. An independent samples t-test, a chi-square test, hierarchical multiple regression analyses, and the Baron and Kenny's procedures were performed in order to analyze data. Results: Young age, childhood history of emotional and sexual abuse, depression, and a low level of spirituality were significant independent factors for increased suicide attempts. Depression was reported to mediate the relationship between childhood emotional and sexual abuse, spirituality, and suicide attempts. Conclusions: Identifying the factors that significantly affect suicidality may be important for establishing effective plans of suicide prevention. Strategic assessments and interventions aimed at decreasing depression and supporting spirituality may be valuable for suicide prevention.

Association Between Stroke and Subsequent Risk of Suicide: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Poor mental health and depression are well-recognized sequelae of stroke; however, the association between stroke and subsequent risk of suicide is unknown.

METHODS

We systematically searched MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar from their inception to September 15, 2020, using keywords and database-specific subjects. We independently adjudicated and selected observational studies that reported suicide attempts or death by suicide in stroke survivors and a comparison group, consisting either of people without a history of stroke or the general population. We evaluated study quality using the Newcastle Ottawa scale. Using random-effects meta-analysis, we calculated the pooled adjusted risk ratio (RR) of suicide in stroke survivors and separately calculated the pooled adjusted RR of suicide attempt and death by suicide. Using prespecified analyses, we explored study-level factors to explain heterogeneity.

RESULTS

We screened 4093 articles and included 23 studies of fair quality, totaling over 2 million stroke survivors, of whom 5563 attempted suicide or died by suicide. Compared to the nonstroke group, the pooled adjusted RR of suicide in stroke survivors was 1.73 (95% CI, 1.53-1.96, I²=93%), with a significantly (P=0.03) higher adjusted risk of suicide attempt (RR, 2.11 [1.73-2.56]) than of death by suicide (RR, 1.61 [1.41-1.84]). A longer follow-up time in cohort studies was associated with a lower risk of suicide (RR, 0.97 [0.95-0.99] for every 1-year increase).

CONCLUSIONS

Stroke should be considered as a risk factor for suicide. Comprehensive strategies to screen and treat depression and suicidal ideation in stroke survivors should be developed to reduce the burden of suicide in stroke survivors.

A systematic review of suicidal behaviour in men: A narrative synthesis of risk factors

RATIONALE

Suicides by men outnumber those by women in every country of the world. To date, there has not been a comprehensive systematic review of risk factors for suicidal behaviour in men to better understand the excess deaths by suicide in men.

OBJECTIVE

The present systematic review seeks to determine the nature and extent of the risk factors to predict suicidal behaviour in men over time.

METHODS

A range of databases (CINAHL, PsycINFO, Web of Science Core Collection, Pubmed, Embase, and Psychology and Behavioural Sciences Collection) were searched from inception to January 2020 for eligible articles. The findings were collated through a narrative synthesis of the evidence.

RESULTS

An initial 601 studies were identified. Following the inclusion and exclusion criteria, there were 105 eligible studies (62 prospective and 43 retrospective) identified. Overall, the risk factors with the strongest evidence predicting suicidal behaviour in men were alcohol and/or drug use/dependence; being unmarried, single, divorced, or widowed; and having a diagnosis of depression. In the prospective studies, the most consistent evidence was for sociodemographic factors (19 risk factors), mental health/psychiatric illness (16 risk factors), physical health/illness (13 risk factors), and negative life events/trauma (11 risk factors). There were a small number of psychological factors (6 factors) and characteristics of suicidal behaviour (3 factors) identified. The findings from the retrospective studies provided further evidence for the risk factors identified in the prospective studies.

CONCLUSIONS

This systematic review has highlighted the wide range of risk factors for suicidal behaviour in men, in this review alone 68 different risk factors were identified. Many factors can interact and change in relevance throughout an individual's life. This review has identified extensive gaps in our knowledge as well as suggestions for future research.

Preterm birth, low fetal growth and risk of suicide in adulthood: a national cohort and co-sibling study

BACKGROUND

Adverse perinatal exposures have been associated with psychiatric disorders and suicidal behaviours later in life. However, the independent associations of gestational age at birth or fetal growth with suicide death, potential sex-specific differences, and causality of these associations are unclear.

METHODS

A national cohort study was conducted of all 2 440 518 singletons born in Sweden during 1973-98 who survived to age 18 years, who were followed up through 2016. Cox regression was used to compute hazard ratios (HRs) for suicide death associated with gestational age at birth or fetal growth while mutually adjusting for these factors, sociodemographic characteristics and family history of suicide. Co-sibling analyses assessed the influence of unmeasured shared familial (genetic and/or environmental) factors.

RESULTS

In 31.2 million person-years of follow-up, 4470 (0.2%) deaths by suicide were identified. Early preterm birth (22-33 weeks) was associated with an increased risk of suicide among females [adjusted hazard ratio (HR), 1.97; 95% confidence interval CI), 1.29, 3.01; P = 0.002) but not males (0.90; 0.64, 1.28; P = 0.56), compared with full-term birth (39-41 weeks). Small for gestational age was associated with a modestly increased risk of suicide among females (adjusted HR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.08, 1.51; P = 0.005) and males (1.14; 1.03, 1.27; P = 0.02). However, these associations were attenuated and non-significant after controlling for shared familial factors.

CONCLUSIONS

In this large national cohort, preterm birth in females and low fetal growth in males and females were associated with increased risks of suicide death in adulthood. However, these associations appeared to be non-causal and related to shared genetic or prenatal environmental factors within families.

Health care utilization prior to suicide in adults with drug use disorders

Drug use disorders (DUD) are associated with psychiatric illness and increased risks of suicide. We examined health care utilization prior to suicide in adults with DUD, which may reveal opportunities to prevent suicide in this high-risk population. A national cohort study was conducted of all 6,947,191 adults in Sweden, including 166,682 (2.4%) with DUD, who were followed up for suicide during 2002-2015. A nested case-control design examined health care utilization among persons with DUD who died by suicide and 10:1 age- and sex-matched controls from the general population. In 86.7 million person-years of follow-up, 15,662 (0.2%) persons died by suicide, including 1946 (1.2%) persons with DUD. Unadjusted and adjusted relative risks of suicide associated with DUD were 11.03 (95% CI, 10.62-11.46) and 2.84 (2.68-3.00), respectively. 30.4% and 52.3% of DUD cases who died by suicide had a health care encounter within 2 weeks or 3 months before the index date, respectively, compared with 5.9% and 24.3% of controls (unadjusted prevalence ratio and difference, <2 weeks: 5.20 [95% CI, 4.76-5.67] and 24.6 percentage points [22.5-26.6]; <3 months: 2.15 [2.05-2.26] and 27.9 [25.6-30.2]). However, after adjusting for psychiatric comorbidities, these differences were much attenuated. Among DUD cases, 72.5% of last encounters within 2 weeks before suicide were in outpatient clinics, mostly for non-psychiatric diagnoses. In this large national cohort, suicide among adults with DUD was often shortly preceded by outpatient clinic encounters. Clinical encounters in these settings are important opportunities to identify suicidality and intervene accordingly in patients with DUD.

Risk factors for completed suicide in the general population: A prospective cohort study of 242, 952 people

BACKGROUND

The estimated global burden of suicide is almost 1 million deaths per year, representing 57% of all violent deaths worldwide. In order to better identify at risk individuals and develop effective prevention strategies at the population level, a comprehensive understanding of the biological, psychological and social risk factors is required.

METHOD

Data from the National Health Interview Survey (1997- 2004) were analyzed. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to compute hazard ratios (HRs) and accompanying 95% confidence intervals (CI).

RESULTS

During a mean 6.3 years of follow-up of 242, 952 people (1.56 million person-years), 180 deaths due to suicide occurred. Of 18 risk factors, eight revealed associations with suicide. Participants who had never been married (HR, 2.58; 95% CI, 1.44-4.62), current smokers (HR, 2.26; 1.49-3.43), current drinkers (HR, 1.93; 1.14-3.27]), participants with serious psychological distress (HR, 3.34; 1.81-6.18), and a history of emphysema (HR, 2.79; 1.18-6.59), liver disease (HR, 4.63; 2.10-10.20), kidney disease (HR, 2.26; 1.00-5.06) and cancer (HR, 2.18; 1.32-3.59) were at increased risk of completed suicide.

LIMITATIONS

Due to the observational nature of this study, we cannot exclude the possibility of reverse or bi-directional causality.

CONCLUSIONS

This large, prospective cohort study identified a series of biopsychosocial risk factors that may have utility in suicide prevention.

Understanding Factors Relevant to Self-Injurious Behavior in a High-Risk Secure Psychiatric Sample: Developing the Theory-Driven Measure of Self-Injurious Behavior Engagement

A measure for the assessment of self-injurious behavior is developed. Commencing with a Delphi composed of 33 experts: detached experts (academics), experts by exposure (staff), and experts by experience (patients), the Theory-driven Measure of Self-Injurious Behavior Engagement is outlined. This is then examined in two samples: high-secure psychiatric male patients (n = 76) and high-secure psychiatric nursing staff (n = 100; 50 men, 50 women). We predicted that all components of the Theory of Planned Behavior and the capacity, belongingness, and burdensomeness elements of the Interpersonal Psychological Theory of Suicidal Behavior would be confirmed as important inclusions. Results initially showed the importance of including intention, perceived behavioral control, affect, capacity, and burdensomeness. The role of environmental and individual factors, such as coping, was captured as additional variables of value. However, the structure of items differed between patients and staff. Being valued consistently represented a core consideration, as did capacity and affect. Directions for future research are indicated.