Study of Suicidal Behavior Among Admitted First-Episode Schizophrenia Patients From South India.

Abstract

Objective: The range of suicidal behavior in first-episode schizophrenia in the early phases of the disease is both understudied and unclear. The objective of this study was to investigate suicidal behavior in first-episode schizophrenia inpatients after admission.Methods: The current study was conducted with 102 patients with first-episode schizophrenia aged 15 to 45 years who were admitted to a 300-bed psychiatry hospital in Southern India over a period of 18 months between January 1, 2016, and June 30, 2017. Patients completed a semistructured questionnaire, the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, and the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale for assessment of sociodemographic profile, psychopathology, and suicide risk. Patients were then divided into 2 groups: suicidal and nonsuicidal.Results: Recent suicidal ideation and behavior were present in 37.25% and 22.54% of the first-episode schizophrenia patients, respectively. Recent suicidal ideation was 15.8 times more likely in first-episode schizophrenia patients with lifetime suicidal ideation, and recent suicide attempts were 8.6 times more likely in patients with lifetime suicide attempts.Conclusions: The study results show that suicidal behavior in the early phases of first-episode schizophrenia is more prevalent during admission. Lifetime suicidal ideation and behavior predicts the risk of recent suicidal ideation and behavior, respectively.Prim Care Companion CNS Disord 2023;25(3):22m03364.Author affiliations are listed at the end of this article.