Risk factors for suicide attempts in patients with alcohol dependence or abuse and a history of depressive symptoms: A subgroup analysis from the WHO/ISBRA study

The association between alcohol use disorder and suicidal ideation in a New Zealand birth cohort

BACKGROUND

Alcohol use disorder is associated with increased suicide risk; however, both alcohol use disorder and suicide share risk factors which must be accounted for in order to understand this relationship. This study aimed to explore the longitudinal relationship between alcohol use disorder and suicidal ideation in adulthood, while accounting for both child background and adult covariate factors.

METHOD

Data were collected from the Christchurch Health and Development Study, a birth cohort of 1265 children born in Christchurch (New Zealand) in mid-1977. Alcohol use disorder (operationalised as alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence) was quantified between age 18 and 40 in five data waves. The outcome measure suicidal ideation was reported over the same time periods. Childhood confounding variables were controlled for, as well as time-dynamic covariates collected in adulthood, including internalising disorders, distress due to relationship dissolutions and other substance use disorders.

RESULTS

The association between alcohol abuse and suicidal ideation was not statistically significant before or after adjusting for childhood confounding and adulthood covariate factors, when compared to no alcohol disorder. However, the association between alcohol dependence and suicidal ideation was significant both before and after adjustment (unadjusted odds ratio = 2.89, 95% confidence interval = [2.09, 3.99]; adjusted odds ratio = 1.52, 95% confidence interval = [1.04, 2.23]), when compared to no alcohol disorder. Furthermore, alcohol dependence remained significant when compared to alcohol abuse (unadjusted odds ratio = 2.33, 95% confidence interval = [1.61, 3.37]; adjusted odds ratio = 1.54, 95% confidence interval = [1.00, 2.37]).

CONCLUSION

This analysis found an association between alcohol dependence and suicidal ideation within a New Zealand birth cohort, which persists even after adjustment for childhood confounding and adulthood covariate factors. Given the high rates of suicide and heavy drinking within the New Zealand population, any comprehensive national or regional suicide prevention plan should seek to reduce risky alcohol consumption at an individual and population level, as this represents a modifiable risk factor for suicide.

Mental disorders as risk factors for suicidal behavior in young people: A meta-analysis and systematic review of longitudinal studies

BACKGROUND

Suicide is the second leading cause of death for young people.

OBJECTIVE

To assess mental disorders as risk factors for suicidal behaviour among adolescents and young adults including population-based longitudinal studies.

METHOD

We conducted a systematic literature review. Bibliographic searches undertaken in five international databases and grey literature sources until January 2017 yielded a total of 26,883 potential papers. 1701 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility of which 1677 were excluded because they did not meet our eligibility criteria. Separate meta-analyses were conducted for each outcome (suicide death and suicide attempts). Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) and beta coefficients and standard errors were calculated.

RESULTS

24 studies were finally included involving 25,354 participants (12-26 years). The presence of any mental disorder was associated with higher risk of suicide death (OR = 10.83, 95%CI = 4.69-25.00) and suicide attempt (OR = 3.56; 95%CI 2.24-5.67). When considering suicidal attempt as the outcome, only affective disorders (OR = 1.54; 95%CI = 1.21-1.96) were significant. Finally, the results revealed that psychiatric comorbidity was a primary risk factor for suicide attempts.

LIMITATIONS

Data were obtained from studies with heterogeneous diagnostic assessments of mental disorders. Nine case-control studies were included and some data were collected in students, not in general population.

CONCLUSIONS

Mental disorders and comorbidity are strong predictors of suicide behaviour in young people. Detection and management of the affective disorders as well as their psychiatric comorbidity could be a crucial strategy to prevent suicidality in this age group.

A comprehensive model of predictors of suicide attempt in heavy drinkers: Results from a national 3-year longitudinal study

BACKGROUND

Heavy drinkers are at high risk for suicide attempt and suicide. Multiple factors, when examined in isolation, have been implicated in the risk of suicide attempt in this population. In this report, we present a comprehensive model of the 3-year risk of suicide attempt in heavy drinkers using a longitudinal nationally representative study, the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC; wave 1, 2001-2002; wave 2, 2004-2005).

METHODS

We used structural equation modeling to simultaneously examine effects of four broad groups of clinical factors previously identified as potential predictors of attempted suicides: 1) alcohol use disorder severity, 2) severity of comorbidity, 3) sociodemographic characteristics and 4) help-seeking for alcohol problems. Heavy drinking was defined as drinking 5 or more drinks in a day more than once a week in the month prior to Wave 1.

RESULTS

About 1.5% of the 1573 heavy drinker participants (i.e., 5.1% of the NESARC sample) attempted suicide during the 3-year follow-up period. After adjusting for all other factors, several factors independently predicted attempted suicides: the alcohol use disorder liability factor measured by DSM-IV-TR criteria for alcohol abuse and dependence and two dimensions of psychopathology, the general psychopathology factor accounting for the shared effects of all comorbid psychiatric disorders and the externalizing dimension accounting for the shared effects of comorbid substance use disorders. No other factor predicted this risk in addition.

CONCLUSION

This model may help identify individuals with heavy drinking at high risk of suicide and develop more effective suicide prevention strategies.

Burnout and Alcohol Abuse/Dependence Among U.S. Medical Students

PURPOSE

To explore the relationship between alcohol abuse/dependence with burnout and other forms of distress among a national cohort of medical students.

METHOD

In 2012, the authors completed a national survey of medical students from the American Medical Association's Physician Masterfile containing validated items assessing alcohol abuse/dependence, burnout, depression, suicidality, quality of life (QOL), and fatigue. Descriptive and comparative statistical analyses were computed, including chi-square and multivariate logistic regression, to determine relationships between variables.

RESULTS

Of the 12,500 students, 4,402 (35.2%) responded. Of these, 1,411 (32.4%) met diagnostic criteria for alcohol abuse/dependence. Students who were burned out (P = .01), depressed (P = .01), or reported low mental (P =.03) or emotional (P = .016) QOL were more likely to have alcohol abuse/dependence. Emotional exhaustion and depersonalization domains of burnout were strongly associated with alcohol abuse/dependence. On multivariate analysis, burnout (OR 1.20; 95% CI 1.05-1.37; P < .01), having $50,000 to $100,000 (OR 1.21 versus < $50,000; CI 1.02-1.44; P < .05) or > $100,000 (OR 1.27 versus < $50,000; CI 1.08-1.48; P < .01) of educational debt, being unmarried (OR 1.89; CI 1.57-2.27; P < .001), and being younger (for every five years, OR 1.15; CI 1.02-1.28; P = .01) were independently associated with increased risk for alcohol abuse/dependence.

CONCLUSIONS

Burnout was strongly related to alcohol abuse/dependence among sampled medical students and increased educational debt predicted a higher risk. A multifaceted approach addressing burnout, medical education costs, and alcohol use is needed.

A narrative review on burnout experienced by medical students and residents

OBJECTIVE

To summarise articles reporting on burnout among medical students and residents (trainees) in a narrative review.

METHODS

MEDLINE was searched for peer-reviewed, English language articles published between 1990 and 2015 reporting on burnout among trainees. The search used combinations of Medical Subject Heading terms medical student, resident, internship and residency, and burnout, professional. Reference lists of articles were reviewed to identify additional studies. A subset of high-quality studies was selected.

RESULTS

Studies suggest a high prevalence of burnout among trainees, with levels higher than in the general population. Burnout can undermine trainees' professional development, place patients at risk, and contribute to a variety of personal consequences, including suicidal ideation. Factors within the learning and work environment, rather than individual attributes, are the major drivers of burnout. Limited data are available regarding how to best address trainee burnout, but multi-pronged efforts, with attention to culture, the learning and work environment and individual behaviours, are needed to promote trainees' wellness and to help those in distress.

CONCLUSION

Medical training is a stressful time. Large, prospective studies are needed to identify cause-effect relationships and the best approaches for improving the trainee experience.

Age-related differences in the influence of major mental disorders on suicidality: a Korean nationwide community sample

BACKGROUND

We compared the influence of major mental disorders on suicidality according to age, adjusting for suicide-related correlates.

METHODS

This study was based on the Korean national epidemiological survey of mental disorders including community-dwelling adults between 18 and 74 years of age (n=6022). Subjects were classified into three age groups; young (18-39), middle-aged (40-59), and late adulthood (60-74). Face-to-face interviews were conducted using the Korean version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. According to age groups, the influence of major depressive disorder (MDD), anxiety disorder, and alcohol use disorder on risk for suicidality were investigated by multiple logistic regression models adjusting for sex, years of education, marital status, income, employment, presence of chronic medical illness, and lifetime history of suicide attempt.

RESULTS

After including MDD as a covariate, anxiety disorder remained a risk factor only in the middle-aged group (adjusted OR: 2.83, 95% CI: 1.54-5.22), and alcohol use disorder was a risk factor for suicidality only in the young group (adjusted OR: 2.81, 95% CI: 1.06-7.43). Conversely, MDD was the only mental disorder that significantly increased suicidality in all age groups.

LIMITATIONS

This was a cross-sectional study and did not include subjects over 75 years of age.

CONCLUSION

This study showed that the contribution of psychiatric disorders to risk for suicidality varied according to age group. Therefore, strategies for suicide prevention should be specifically designed for different age groups.

Alcohol use, depressive symptoms, and impulsivity as risk factors for suicide proneness among college students

BACKGROUND

Alcohol use, depression, and suicide are significant public health problems, particularly among college students. Impulsivity is associated with all of these factors. Additionally, impulsivity increases the effects of negative mood and alcohol use on maladaptive behavior.

METHODS

The current cross-sectional study examined the association between the four-factor model of impulsivity (urgency, (lack of) perseverance, (lack of) premeditation, and sensation seeking), depressive symptoms, and alcohol use as predictors of suicide proneness among college students. Participants (n=1100) completed online assessments of demographics, impulsivity, depressive symptoms, and suicide proneness.

RESULTS

All predictors were positively related to suicide proneness. The relation between depressive symptoms and suicide proneness was moderated by (lack of) perseverance, alcohol use, and joint interactions of urgency×alcohol use and sensation seeking×alcohol use. Despite some paradoxical findings regarding the depressive symptoms-suicide proneness relation when only one risk factor was elevated, the average level of suicide proneness increased as risk factors increased.

LIMITATIONS

This cross-sectional self-report data comes from a non-clinical sample of college students from a homogeneous background, limiting generalizability and causal predictions.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, these findings indicate that the association between depressive symptoms and suicide proneness varies considerably by different facets of impulsivity and alcohol use. The results suggest that clinical risk-assessments should weigh two forms of impulsivity (urgency and sensation seeking) as particularly vital in the presence of heavy alcohol use. These findings highlight the importance of considering and exploring moderators of the mood-suicide relationship.

Assessing covariates of drug use trajectories among adolescents admitted to a drug addiction center: mental health problems, therapeutic alliance, and treatment persistence

This study aimed to assess covariates of drug use trajectories among 102 adolescents admitted to a drug user treatment program between November 2005 and November 2006 in Québec, Canada. The influences of mental health, therapeutic alliance, and treatment persistence were examined. The Addiction Severity Index was used to measure drug use severity and mental health problems; the California Psychotherapy Alliance Scales was used for therapeutic alliance. latent growth curve analysis showed associations between (1) mental health and initial drug use severity; (2) therapeutic alliance and initial drug use severity; and (3) number of post-treatment sessions attended and drug use severity over time.

Substance use and suicide

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To address gaps identified in earlier reviews, namely, the comparative influence of substance use on attempted suicide and completed suicide; the proximal role of substance use as a trigger of suicidal behaviour; the association between substances and suicidal behaviour; suicide and substance use disorders in youth; and the influence of combinations of risk factors, including psychiatric morbidity, on suicide.

RECENT FINDINGS

The presence of an alcohol use disorder is confirmed as a distal risk factor for completed suicide, as well as attempted suicide. Alcohol use at the time of the suicide attempt is associated with low-risk methods. The use of other substances as a trigger of suicidal behaviour is highlighted in recent studies, but the circumstances leading to the suicidal act and the direct influence of substances in suicidal behaviour need to be explored further. Inhalant use and cocaine use are particularly associated with suicidal behaviour. Young people with multiple risk behaviours, such as substance use and risky sexual behaviours, are at high risk for suicidal behaviour. Psychiatric comorbidity with substance use escalates the risk for suicidal behaviour. Environmental interventions, such as reduction in the number of bars, may be helpful in reducing alcohol-related morbidity, including suicides.

SUMMARY

Prevention strategies for reducing suicidal behaviour among substance users need to be prioritized at the individual and the national level through effective design, policy and implementation.

Suicidal behavior and alcohol abuse

Suicide is an escalating public health problem, and alcohol use has consistently been implicated in the precipitation of suicidal behavior. Alcohol abuse may lead to suicidality through disinhibition, impulsiveness and impaired judgment, but it may also be used as a means to ease the distress associated with committing an act of suicide. We reviewed evidence of the relationship between alcohol use and suicide through a search of MedLine and PsychInfo electronic databases. Multiple genetically-related intermediate phenotypes might influence the relationship between alcohol and suicide. Psychiatric disorders, including psychosis, mood disorders and anxiety disorders, as well as susceptibility to stress, might increase the risk of suicidal behavior, but may also have reciprocal influences with alcohol drinking patterns. Increased suicide risk may be heralded by social withdrawal, breakdown of social bonds, and social marginalization, which are common outcomes of untreated alcohol abuse and dependence. People with alcohol dependence or depression should be screened for other psychiatric symptoms and for suicidality. Programs for suicide prevention must take into account drinking habits and should reinforce healthy behavioral patterns.