Family History Of Suicide Attempt Research Articles

Is self-immolation a distinct method for suicide? A comparison of Iranian patients attempting suicide by self-immolation and by poisoning

Objective Patients who attempted suicide by self-immolation were compared to patients who attempted suicide by poisoning to identify features that might discriminate risk of self-immolation from other suicide methods. Methods Consecutive referrals for attempted suicide were recruited over a 4-month period (June–September 2008) from Kermanshah Imam Khomeini Hospital, Iran. Using questionnaire and interview techniques, demographic characteristics (age, gender, marital status, education level), psychosocial risk factors (prior suicide attempt, family history of suicide attempt, previous history of physical and mental disorders, family/marital conflict), and suicidal intent behavior were assessed from 200 patients who had attempted suicide ( n = 63 by self-immolation; n = 137 by poisoning). Results Several significant differences between the groups emerged. Patients who had attempted suicide by self-immolation were more frequently female ( p < 0.001), older ( p < 0.007), less educated ( p < 0.001), and married ( p < 0.001). Suicidal intent was associated with increased risk of suicide by poisoning ( p < 0.001). No other significant differences were found. Conclusion In Iran, patients who attempt suicide by self-immolation have distinct and specific risk factors compared to patients who commit suicide by poisoning. Results have implications for intervention development targeting at-risk populations.

Characteristics of suicide attempters with family history of suicide attempt: a retrospective chart review

BackgroundFamily history of suicide attempt is one of the risks of suicide. We aimed at exploring the characteristics of Japanese suicide attempters with and without a family history of suicide attempt.MethodsSuicide attempters admitted to an urban emergency department from 2003 to 2008 were interviewed by two attending psychiatrists on items concerning family history of suicide attempt and other sociodemographic and clinical information. Subjects were divided into two groups based on the presence or absence of a family history of suicide attempt, and differences between the two groups were subsequently analyzed.ResultsOut of the 469 suicide attempters, 70 (14.9%) had a family history of suicide attempt. A significantly higher rate of suicide motive connected with family relations (odds ratio 2.21, confidence interval 1.18–4.17, p < .05) as well as a significantly higher rate of deliberate self-harm (odds ratio 2.51, confidence interval 1.38–4.57, p < .05) were observed in patients with a family history of suicide compared to those without such history. No significant differences were observed in other items investigated.ConclusionThe present study has revealed the characteristics of suicide attempters with a family history of suicide attempt. Further understanding of the situation of such individuals is expected to lead to better treatment provision and outcomes, and family function might be a suitable focus in their treatment.

P02-40 Searching for variables associated with familial suicide attempts using data mining techniques

Introduction:Adoption, twin and family studies suggest that suicide behavior is familial and heritable. Both completed and attempted suicide appear to be transmitted in a familial form. Genetics and environment influences had been detected in various studies. But suicidal behavior suggests to be inherited independently from the mental disorders usually associated with it. While traditional statistics emphasizes inference and estimations, data mining emphasizes the fulfillment of a task such as classification, estimation, or knowledge discovery.Objectives:The goal of this study was to determine in a large sample of suicide attempts which variables are associated with family history of attempted suicide.Methods:In an emergency room, 539 adult suicide attempters were recruited. The two dichotomous dependent variables were family history of suicide attempt (10%) and of completed suicide (4%). Independent variables were 101 clinical variables explored with two data mining techniques: Random Forest and Forward Selection.Results:A model for family history of completed suicide could not be developed. A classificatory model for family history of attempted suicide included the use of alcohol in the intent and family history of completed suicide, provide a sensitivity of 78.4%, a specificity of 98.7% and accuracy of 96.6%.Conclusions:A classificatory model for family history of completed suicide could not be developed using data mining techniques. But it suggested that the use of alcohol in the intent and family history of completed suicide may be associated with familial attempted suicide.

Post traumatic stress disorder among former child soldiers attending a rehabilitative service and primary school education in northern Uganda.

This study was prompted by the psychiatric hospitalization of 12 former child soldiers of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) at a rehabilitation school in northern Uganda with a case of mass psychotic behavior. To report the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder, depressed mood, and associated risk factors. Data on post-traumatic stress disorder, depressed mood, physical disabilities, socio-demographic variables, and the children's war experiences were collected in face-to-face interviews using the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire (HTQ), a modified Hopkins Symptoms Check-List (HSCL), and a 15-item War Trauma Experience Check-list (WTECL-15). Data was analyzed with SPSS version 11.0. There were 58 girls and 44 boys. Eighty nine children (87.3%) reported having experienced ten or more war-related traumatic psychological events; 55.9% of the children suffered from symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, 88.2%, symptoms of depressed mood and 21.6% had various forms of physical disability. Nearly half of the children (42.2%) reported a positive family history of severe mental illness; 10.8%, a family history of suicide; 22.5%, a family history of suicide attempt; and 45.1%, a family history of alcohol abuse. Children who experienced 10 or more traumatic war events were more likely than the rest to experience depressed mood. Return through a reception center or through a cleansing ritual did not protect against depression. Post-traumatic stress disorder among former LRA child soldiers at a rehabilitation centre in northern Uganda is presented. The report highlights the huge unmet need for psychological services among former child soldiers of the LRA.

Bullying and Suicide Attempts Among Adolescents Kept in Custody

This contribution explores the associations between suicide attempts; bullying; and the familial, educational, legal, and institutional characteristics of young offenders in custody. The sample was 152 randomly selected male young offenders aged 16-21 years (M = 18.9, SD = 1.3) years from the largest young offenders' institution in Scotland, who completed structured personal interviews. Rates of reported suicide attempts were significantly higher in the population of young offenders than reported rates from general population samples. Being in residential care, the presence of a social worker for the family, family history of alcohol abuse, family history of suicide attempts, the experience of being bullied in custody, contact with a psychologist in the community, and being a violent offender were significantly related to increased risk of suicide attempts in custody. Compared to those who were not bullied, offenders who were bullied in custody were 9.22 times more likely to attempt suicide. The implications these findings for reducing bullying in penal settings are discussed.

Variables associated with familial suicide attempts in a sample of suicide attempters

Attempted suicide appears to be a familial behavior. This study aims to determine the variables associated with family history of attempted suicide in a large sample of suicide attempters. The sample included 539 suicide attempters 18 years or older recruited in an emergency room. The two dichotomous dependent variables were family history of suicide attempt (10%, 51/539) and of completed suicide (4%, 23/539). Independent variables were 101 clinical variables studied with two data mining techniques: Random Forest and Forward Selection. A model for family history of completed suicide could not be developed. A classificatory model for family history of attempted suicide included the use of alcohol in the intent and family history of completed suicide (sensitivity, specificity, 98.7%; and accuracy, 96.6%). This is the first study that uses a powerful new statistical methodology, data mining, in the field of familial suicidal behaviors and suggests that it may be important to study familial variables associated with alcohol use to better understand the familiality of suicide attempts.

New Data Add to Puzzle About Antidepressant, Youth-Suicide Link

New Data Add to Puzzle About Antidepressant, Youth-Suicide Link

Using Data Mining to Explore Complex Clinical Decisions

Medical education is moving toward developing guidelines using the evidence-based approach; however, controlled data are missing for answering complex treatment decisions such as those made during suicide attempts. A new set of statistical techniques called data mining (or machine learning) is being used by different industries to explore complex databases and can be used to explore large clinical databases. The study goal was to reanalyze, using data mining techniques, a published study of which variables predicted psychiatrists' decisions to hospitalize in 509 suicide attempters over the age of 18 years who were assessed in the emergency department. Patients were recruited for the study between 1996 and 1998. Traditional multivariate statistics were compared with data mining techniques to determine variables predicting hospitalization. Five analyses done by psychiatric researchers using traditional statistical techniques classified 72% to 88% of patients correctly. The model developed by researchers with no psychiatric knowledge and employing data mining techniques used 5 variables (drug consumption during the attempt, relief that the attempt was not effective, lack of family support, being a housewife, and family history of suicide attempts) and classified 99% of patients correctly (99% sensitivity and 100% specificity). This reanalysis of a published study fundamentally tries to make the point that these new multivariate techniques, called data mining, can be used to study large clinical databases in psychiatry. Data mining techniques may be used to explore important treatment questions and outcomes in large clinical databases and to help develop guidelines for problems where controlled data are difficult to obtain. New opportunities for good clinical research may be developed by using data mining analyses.

History of suicide attempts in pediatric bipolar disorder: factors associated with increased risk

Despite evidence indicating high morbidity associated with pediatric bipolar disorder (BP), little is known about the prevalence and clinical correlates of suicidal behavior among this population. To investigate the prevalence of suicidal behavior among children and adolescents with BP, and to compare subjects with a history of suicide attempt to those without on demographic, clinical, and familial risk factors. Subjects were 405 children and adolescents aged 7-17 years, who fulfilled DSM-IV criteria for BPI (n = 236) or BPII (n = 29), or operationalized criteria for BP not otherwise specified (BP NOS; n = 140) via the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Aged Children. As part of a multi-site longitudinal study of pediatric BP (Course and Outcome of Bipolar Youth), demographic, clinical, and family history variables were measured at intake via clinical interview with the subject and a parent/guardian. Nearly one-third of BP patients had a lifetime history of suicide attempt. Attempters, compared with non-attempters, were older, and more likely to have a lifetime history of mixed episodes, psychotic features, and BPI. Attempters were more likely to have a lifetime history of comorbid substance use disorder, panic disorder, non-suicidal self-injurious behavior, family history of suicide attempt, history of hospitalization, and history of physical and/or sexual abuse. Multivariate analysis found that the following were the most robust set of predictors for suicide attempt: mixed episodes, psychosis, hospitalization, self-injurious behavior, panic disorder, and substance use disorder. These findings indicate that children and adolescents with BP exhibit high rates of suicidal behavior, with more severe features of BP illness and comorbidity increasing the risk for suicide attempt. Multiple clinical factors emerged distinguishing suicide attempters from non-attempters. These clinical factors should be considered in both assessment and treatment of pediatric BP.

Factors Associated with Suicide Attempts in Female Inmates: The Hegemony of Hopelessness

In this study factors associated with past suicide attempts in female inmates were examined. Female inmate participants (N = 105) were given structured diagnostic assessments of antisocial and borderline personality disorders and substance dependence, as well as measures of depression, hopelessness, problem-focused coping styles, and reasons for living. There was a high lifetime prevalence of past suicide attempts (38.1%). Suicide attempts were positively associated with personality disorders, hopelessness, depression, childhood physical/emotional abuse, and family history of suicide and mood disorders, and negatively associated with income, reasons for living, and problem-focused coping. Controlling for hopelessness, borderline personality disorder and family history of suicide attempts were the only variables that remained uniquely associated with suicide attempts.

Suicide in early childhood: A brief review

The rate of suicide in the United States among prepubertal children and young adolescents had increased by 120% from 1980 to 1992. From 1992 to the present the rate has decreased slightly by 33%. We address a brief review of the most relevant findings in literature that are related to the risk of suicide. Although the most reported findings were child mood disorder, any type of family distress and family history of suicide attempts, the severity of those does not seem to increase the risk of suicide. However, there were other environmental factors that may influence the risk of suicide, such as the access to firearms. It is critical to detect risk factors and triggers in prepubertal populations in order to reduce the incidence of suicide in this age group and older age groups.

Correlates of recent suicide attempts in a triethnic group of adolescents.

To describe recent self-reported suicide attempts in a triethnic group of adolescents, to analyze differences in the correlates of attempts by ethnicity and gender, and to explore theoretical correlates of recent suicide attempts using a resilience framework. Quantitative data were collected from 10,059 students in 7th, 9th, and 11th grades in Connecticut in 1996. Secondary analysis was done to compare respondents of African American, Hispanic Latino, and Caucasian ethnicities. Data were analyzed using bivariate and multivariate procedures. Logistic regression was used to identify the best set of explanatory variables for recent suicide attempts. The percentage of suicide attempts was significantly higher among Hispanic Latina girls (19.3%) than in any other ethnic-gender group. Significant relationships were found between recent suicide attempts and (a) family history of suicide attempt, (b) friend's history of suicide attempt, (c) history of sexual abuse, (d) history of physical abuse, and (e) environmental stress. The significant set of explanatory variables for recent suicide attempts for the three ethnic groups combined were stress, internalizing and externalizing behaviors, physical and sexual abuse, family and friend attempted suicide, social connectedness, and religious influence. Findings support use of a resilience model for suicide attempts among three ethnic groups. The finding of a significantly higher percentage of recent suicide attempts by Hispanic girls compared to girls in other ethnic-gender groups warrants further investigation along with development and testing of culturally sensitive preventive interventions.

Suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, and HIV infection.

A cross-sectional study was performed to investigate the prevalence and predictors of suicidal ideation and past suicide attempt in an Australian sample of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive and HIV-negative homosexual and bisexual men. Sixty-five HIV-negative and 164 HIV-positive men participated. A suicidal ideation score was derived from using five items selected from the Beck Depression Inventory and the General Health Questionnaire (28-item version). Lifetime and current prevalence rates of psychiatric disorder were evaluated with the Diagnostic Interview Schedule Version-III-R. The HIV-positive (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC] Stage IV) men (n = 85) had significantly higher total suicidal ideation scores than the asymptomatic HIV-positive men (CDC Stage II/III) (n = 79) and the HIV-negative men. High rates of past suicide attempt were detected in the HIV-negative (29%) and HIV-positive men (21%). Factors associated with suicidal ideation included being HIV-positive, the presence of current psychiatric disorder, higher neuroticism scores, external locus of control, and current unemployment. In the HIV-positive group analyzed separately, higher suicidal ideation was discriminated by the adjustment to HIV diagnosis (greater hopelessness and lower fighting spirit), disease factors (greater number of current acquired immunodeficiency syndrome [AIDS]-related conditions), and background variables (neuroticism). Significant predictors of a past attempted suicide were a positive lifetime history of psychiatric disorder (particularly depression diagnoses), a lifetime history of infection drug use, and a family history of suicide attempts. The findings indicate increased levels of suicidal ideation in symptomatic HIV-positive men and highlight the role that multiple psychosocial factors associated with suicidal ideation and attempted suicide play in this population.

O-27-1 - Localization and characterization of serotonin 2A receptor in human brain postmortem

Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) has been independently related to bipolar disorder (BD) and factors associated with suicidal risk. The aim of our study was to explore the relationship between NLR and suicide risk in euthymic BD patients. We also sought to propose a model of interaction between NLR and stress–diathesis factors, leading to suicidal risk in BD.The study group consisted of 83 patients diagnosed with BD (36 suicide attempters; 47 suicide non-attempters), compared to the healthy control group (n = 73) and matched according to age, gender, and body mass index (BMI). NLR was measured according to the complete blood count. Mood symptoms have been assessed by Young Mania Rating Scale and Montgomery–Asberg Depression Rating Scale. Early trauma and acute stress were evaluated by Early Trauma Inventory Self Report–Short Form and List of Threatening Experiences Questionnaire, respectively. Suicide risk has been assessed by Suicide Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised (SBQ-R).Significant correlation was found between NLR and SBQ-R score. The main effects of suicide attempts on NLR, after covarying for confounders, were observed, indicating increased NLR in BD suicide attempters compared to healthy controls. We found significant moderatory effects of family history on NLR relationship to suicidal risk, with NLR being significant positive predictor of suicidal risk only in the patients with positive family history of suicide attempts.The results suggest an enhancing effect of positive family history of suicide attempts on predictive effect of NLR on suicide risk. Our data support the idea that immune markers can predict suicide attempt risk in BD, but only in the subpopulation of BD patients with family history of suicide attempts. This could lead to prevention in suicide behavior in the patient population at particular risk of suicide.

Adolescent Witnesses to a Peer Suicide

This case-control study attempts to evaluate the psychological impact of witnessing a suicide on high school students. Twenty-eight high school students witnessed a firearms suicide and the serious injury of another student while riding a school bus. They were assessed 2 months after the event, and their responses were compared with 28 demographically similar adolescents from another community who had not been exposed to suicide. The exposed students, when compared with the controls, had higher rates of new-onset anxiety disorder and a trend for increased rates of new-onset post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Within the exposed group, measures of the closeness of the relationship to both the suicide victim and the student who was injured were correlated with the severity of PTSD symptomatology. Within the exposed group, other factors that predisposed to new-onset disorder included family history of affective illness, family history of suicide attempt, and stressful life events occurring in the year before exposure. In combination with the extant literature, this study demonstrates that adolescents who witness a traumatic suicidal death are at risk for the development of psychopathology, specifically, anxiety disorders and PTSD.