Sociodemographic and Clinical Characteristics Associated with Suicidal Behaviour and Relationship with a Nurse-Led Suicide Prevention Programme.

Judit Pons-Baños,Jordi Jiménez-Nuño,Lola Riesco-Miranda,Montserrat Serra-Millàs,Santiago Escoté-Llobet,Concepció Fuentes-Pumarola,David Ballester-Ferrando

doi:10.3390/ijerph17238765

Abstract

Suicidal behaviour is a major public health problem that needs to be tackled by all health agents including mental health nurses. Aims: The purpose of this study was to analyse the relationship between demographic and clinical characteristics and different kinds of suicidal behaviour with a nurse-led suicide prevention programme. Methods: The design was a cross-sectional study, performed in the region of Osona (Catalonia) in the five-year period 2013–2017. Suicidal behaviour was classified as suicidal ideation, interrupted self-directed violence, suicide attempt or completed suicide. Results: The sample included 753 patients (of whom 53 completed suicide) who experienced 931 suicidal behaviour episodes. Men represented only 38.4% of the sample but 81.1% of completed suicides. Mental disorders were associated with suicidal behaviour in 75.4% of the sample. Two thirds (66.4%) of the individuals (0.8% (n = 4) of whom completed suicide) were participants in a nurse-led suicidal behaviour case management programme. Conclusion: The main risk factors were being a woman for suicidal behaviour and being a man and being older for completed suicide. Mental disorders, widowhood and retirement were also associated with completed suicide. The completed suicide rate was lower among participants in the nurse-led programme.

Highlights

Suicidal behaviour is a public health problem that results in 800,000 deaths worldwide each year; in addition, for every adult who completes suicide, another 20 are estimated to have attempted suicide [1].Int
Age was a key factor in completed suicides in our sample, with higher suicide mortality in older age groups
Sex clearly determined forms of suicidal behaviour: while 8 in 10 completed suicides were by men, 7 in 10 suicide attempts were by women

Summary

Introduction

Suicidal behaviour is a public health problem that results in 800,000 deaths worldwide each year; in addition, for every adult who completes suicide, another 20 are estimated to have attempted suicide [1].Int. Suicidal behaviour is a public health problem that results in 800,000 deaths worldwide each year; in addition, for every adult who completes suicide, another 20 are estimated to have attempted suicide [1]. Suicide rates are higher among middle-aged and elderly men, rates are increasing among teenagers in high-income countries [6]. In teenagers and young adults, the worldwide reported lifetime prevalence rates for suicidal ideation and suicidal behaviour are 12.1%–33% and 4.1%–9.3%, respectively [6]. Suicide rates worldwide are higher for men than for women, with some exceptions, e.g., China [6]. In Europe, while completed suicides by men outnumber suicides by women by 3.47, suicidal ideation and attempt rates are higher among women [7]

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