Past 12-month Suicide Attempts Research Articles

The association of pain with suicidal ideation and suicide attempts with depressive symptoms among adults aged ≥50years from low- and middle-income countries.

We aimed to examine the relationship of pain with suicidal ideation and suicide attempts with depressive symptoms among adults aged ≥50years from six low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) (China, Ghana, India, Mexico, Russia, and South Africa). Cross-sectional, community-based, nationally representative data from the WHO Study on global AGEing and adult health were analyzed. Self-reported information on past 12-month suicidal ideation and suicide attempts among people with depressive symptoms was collected. Pain was assessed with the question "Overall in the last 30days, how much of bodily aches or pain did you have?" With answer options: "none", "mild", "moderate", "severe/extreme". Multivariable logistic regression was done to assess associations. Data on 34,129 adults aged ≥50years (mean [SD] age 62.4 [16.0] years; males 47.9%) were analyzed. Compared to no pain, mild, moderate, and severe/extreme pain were associated with 2.83 (95% CI=1.51-5.28), 4.01 (95% CI=2.38-6.76), and 12.26 (95% CI=6.44-23.36) times higher odds for suicidal ideation. For suicide attempt, only severe/extreme pain was associated with significantly increased odds (OR=4.68; 95% CI=1.67-13.08). In this large sample of older adults from multiple LMICs, pain was strongly associated with suicidal thoughts and suicide attempts with depressive symptoms. Future studies should assess whether addressing pain among older people in LMICs may lead to reduction in suicidal thoughts and behaviors.

Physical multimorbidity, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts among adults aged ≥50years from low- and middle-income countries.

The association between physical multimorbidity and suicidal ideation or suicide attempts among older adults from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is largely unknown. We aimed to assess this association as well as its mediators using nationally representative data from six LMICs. Cross-sectional, community-based data from the Study on Global Aging and Adult Health were analyzed. A total of 11 chronic physical conditions were assessed. Self-reported information on past 12-month suicidal ideation and suicide attempts was also collected. Multivariable logistic regression and mediation analyses were conducted. The final sample consisted of 34,129 adults aged ≥50years (mean [SD] age 62.4 (16.0) years; maximum age 114years; 52.1% females). In the overall sample, physical multimorbidity was associated with increased odds for suicidal ideation (OR=2.99; 95% CI=2.06-4.34) and suicide attempts (OR=2.79; 95% CI=1.58-4.95), with the association being stronger in males than females. The association between multimorbidity and suicidal ideation or suicide attempts was largely mediated by pain/discomfort (mediated% 33.3%-44.2%), sleep/energy (28.2%-33.8%), and mobility limitations (26.6%-34.8%). Physical multimorbidity among older adults in LMICs was associated with a substantially increased risk for suicidal ideation and suicide attempts. Addressing the identified mediators in people with physical multimorbidity may aid in the prevention of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts.

Factors associated with single and multiple suicide attempts in adolescent school children in Morocco: A national cross-sectional survey

The study aimed to assess factors associated with multiple suicide attempts (MSA) in adolescents with a history of suicide attempts in Morocco. National cross-sectional data from the Global School-Based Student Health Survey (GSHS) in Morocco in 2016 were analysed. Students who reported to have a history of past 12-month suicide attempts were included in the final sample (n = 931). In multiple logistic regression, students with MSA were compared with students with a single suicide attempt (SSA). Results indicated that among the subsample of school adolescents (median age = 15 years), 55.8% had attempted suicide once, and 44.2% multiple times in the past 12 months. Compared to students who attempted suicide once, students with MSA more often had anxiety-induced sleep disturbance and were more frequently bullied. Compared to participants without psychosocial distress, students with three or more psychosocial distress factors had higher odds of MSA. Further, compared to students without health risk behaviours, students with three or more health risk behaviours had a higher odd of MSA. Psychosocial distress (anxiety-induced sleep disturbance and frequently being bullied) and multiple health risk behaviours increased the odds of MSA, suggesting the potential relevance of these variables in identifying multiple suicide attempters among adolescents in Morocco.

Association of food insecurity with suicidal ideation and suicide attempts in adults aged ≥50 years from low- and middle-income countries

BackgroundThe aim of the present study was to investigate associations between food insecurity with suicidal ideation and suicide attempts in adults aged ≥50 years from six low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). MethodsCross-sectional, community-based data from the World Health Organisation's Study on Global Aging and Adult Health were analyzed. Self-reported information on past 12-month suicidal ideation and suicide attempts was collected. Past 12-month food insecurity was assessed with two questions on frequency of eating less and hunger due to lack of food. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted to assess the association between food insecurity and suicidal ideation or suicide attempts. ResultsThe final analytical sample included 34,129 individuals aged ≥50 years [mean (SD) age 62.4 (16.0) years; 52.1% females]. Compared to no food insecurity, severe food insecurity was associated with a significant 2.78 (95%CI = 1.73–4.45) times higher odds for suicidal ideation, while moderate and severe food insecurity were associated with 2.59 (95%CI = 1.35–4.97) and 5.15 (95%CI = 2.52–10.53) times higher odds for suicide attempts, respectively. LimitationsThe cross-sectional design, the use of self-reported wish to die as a measure of suicide ideation, and that suicidal ideation and suicide attempts were only assessed among those who had depressive symptoms, could be considered limitations of our study. ConclusionsFood insecurity was positively associated with suicidal ideation and suicide attempts. Targeting food insecurity among older adults in LMICs may lead to reduction in suicidal ideation and suicide attempts, although future longitudinal studies are warranted to confirm this.

Gender Identity Change Efforts Are Associated with Depression, Panic Disorder, and Suicide Attempts in South Korean Transgender Adults.

Gender identity change efforts (GICEs), sometimes referred to as "conversion therapy," are considered pseudoscientific and unethical practices that are not supported by the existing scientific literature. However, a substantial portion of transgender people face such practices during their lives. We assessed lifetime exposure to GICEs and its associations with mental health indicators among transgender adults in South Korea. We analyzed a nationwide cross-sectional survey of 566 Korean transgender adults conducted in October 2020. Lifetime exposure to GICEs was classified as follows: "never had GICE-related experiences," "received a referral, but did not undergo GICEs," and "undergone GICEs." We assessed mental health indicators, including past-week depressive symptoms; medical diagnosis or treatment of depression and panic disorder; and past 12-month suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, and self-harm. Of the total participants, 12.2% had "received a referral, but did not undergo GICEs," and 11.5% had "undergone GICEs." Compared with those who had "never had GICE-related experiences," participants who had "undergone GICEs" showed significantly higher prevalence of depression (adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR]=1.34, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.11-1.61), panic disorder (aPR=2.52, 95% CI=1.75-3.64), and suicide attempts (aPR=1.73, 95% CI=1.10-2.72). However, we did not find significant associations between having "received a referral, but did not undergo GICEs" and mental health indicators. Given our findings suggest that lifetime exposure to GICEs may harm transgender adults' mental health, legal restrictions should be imposed to ban GICEs in South Korea.

Factors Associated with Distinct Patterns of Suicidal Thoughts, Suicide Plans, and Suicide Attempts Among US Adolescents.

The current study examined demographic, psychosocial, and substance use factors associated with distinct patterns of past 12-month suicide thoughts, plans, and attempts among adolescents drawn from a nationally representative sample of high schoolers. Data were from the 2015, 2017, and 2019 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey. Four mutually exclusive 12-month suicidal behavior patterns were identified: suicide thoughts only (pattern 1), suicide thoughts and plans without suicide attempt (pattern 2), suicide attempt with thoughts and/or plans (pattern 3), and suicide attempt without thoughts or plans (pattern 4). Multinomial logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine factors correlated with these distinct patterns. Psychosocial and substance use factors were modeled as independent predictors, controlling for demographic characteristics, as well as simultaneously to represent the potential for co-occurrence. The analytic sample included 7491 respondents. About 24% (n = 1734) of youth endorsed pattern 1, 38% (n = 2779) pattern 2, 35% (n = 2716) pattern 3, and 3% (n = 262) pattern 4. All psychosocial and substance use factors measured were individually associated with greater odds of suicide attempts with thoughts or plans (pattern 3) than patterns 1 or 2. Black and male youth were at greater odds of suicide attempts without thoughts or plans (pattern 4) than all other patterns. When modeled simultaneously, respondents who were bullied online, sad or hopeless, had a history of sexual violence, used cigarettes, and misused prescription opiates retained greater odds of suicide attempts with thoughts or plans (pattern 3) than patterns 1 or 2. Findings suggest screening for suicidal behaviors should include factors that differentiate between varying suicidal expressions and that may cue providers to intervene in the absence of suicide thoughts and plans.

Sexual Orientation Change Efforts, Depressive Symptoms, and Suicidality Among Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study in South Korea.

Purpose: We examined the association of sexual orientation change efforts (SOCE) with past-week depressive symptoms and past 12-month suicidal ideation and suicide attempts among Korean lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults. Methods: A cross-sectional study of 2168 participants was used. Lifetime SOCE was classified as "never experienced," "been advised but not undergone SOCE," and "undergone SOCE." Results: Participants who had undergone SOCE showed 1.44- and 2.35-times higher prevalence of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts than those without such practices. Significant associations were also observed between having advice on SOCE alone and all mental health indicators. Conclusion: Strict legal sanctions that prohibit SOCE are required in Korea.

Association of objective visual impairment with suicidal ideation and suicide attempts among adults aged ≥50 years in low/middle-income countries

BackgroundThere is currently limited literature on the association between visual impairment and suicidal thoughts and behaviours, especially among older adults from low/middle-income countries (LMICs). Thus, we aimed to investigate the...

Violence victimization and suicide attempts among adolescents aged 12–15 years from thirty-eight low- and middle-income countries

ObjectiveThe association between violence victimization and suicide attempts in a large representative sample of adolescents from low- and middle-income-countries (LMICs) of multiple continents has never been investigated. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to examine the relationship between being a victim of physical attacks (independent variable) and suicide attempts (dependent variable) in a sample of 117,472 students aged 12–15 years [mean (SD) age 13.8 (0.9) years; girls 49.4%] from thirty-eight LMICs in Africa, the Americas, and Asia. MethodsCross-sectional data from the Global School-based Student Health Survey (GSHS) were analyzed. Self-reported data on past 12-month suicide attempts and exposure to physical attacks were collected. Logistic regression and meta-analysis were conducted. ResultsThe overall prevalence of suicide attempts and physical attacks were 10.1% and 39.4%, respectively. Overall, the results of the meta-analysis based on country-wise estimates adjusted for potential confounders (i.e., age, sex, food insecurity, alcohol consumption, bullying victimization, anxiety-induced sleep problems, low parental support/involvement, loneliness) showed that physical attacks were associated with a 1.71 (95%CI = 1.62–1.81) times higher odds for suicide attempt. ConclusionsIn this large sample of adolescents from multiple LMICs, violence victimization was associated with significantly increased odds of suicide attempts. Future longitudinal studies are required to assess causality, and whether addressing exposure to violence can positively impact on adolescent suicide rates.

Fast food consumption and suicide attempts among adolescents aged 12–15 years from 32 countries

BackgroundWe examined the fast food consumption-suicide attempt relationship among 105,061 adolescents aged 12–15 years from 32 countries. MethodsThis study was based on cross-sectional data from the Global School-based Student Health Survey (GSHS), and included 4 low-income, 13 lower middle-income, 9 upper middle-income, and 6 high-income countries. Data on past 7-day fast food consumption and 12-month suicide attempts were collected. The association between fast food consumption and suicide attempts was investigated with multivariable logistic regression and meta-analysis while adjusting for sex, age, food insecurity (proxy of socioeconomic status), alcohol consumption, smoking, physical activity, obesity, carbonated soft drink consumption, and fruit and vegetable consumption. ResultsOverall, the prevalence of fast food consumption was high (53.5%) and the proportion of suicide attempts was higher among consumers of fast food compared to non-consumers (11.8% vs. 8.3%). Of the 32 countries included in the study, a positive association between fast food consumption and suicide attempts was found in 26 countries although this was not statistically significant in all countries. The pooled OR (95% CI) based on a meta-analysis was 1.31 (1.17–1.46). LimitationsSince this was a cross-sectional study, it is not possible to draw any conclusions about causality or temporality in the associations assessed. ConclusionsFast food consumption is positively associated with suicide attempts in adolescents. Further research of longitudinal design is needed to confirm/refute our findings and explore the potential underlying mechanisms.

Suicide Attempt and Associated Factors Among Adolescents in Five Southeast Asian Countries in 2015.

Background: Suicide is a major cause of death among adolescents. Aims: The study aimed to report on the prevalence and correlates of suicide attempt among in-school adolescents in five Southeast Asian countries. Method: Cross-sectional data from the 2015 Global School-Based Student Health Survey (GSHS) included 33,004 middle-school children (mean age = 14.3 years, SD = 1.6) that were representative of all students in secondary school in Indonesia, Laos, Philippines, Thailand, and Timor-Leste. Results: The overall prevalence of past 12-month suicide attempt was 9.0%, ranging from 3.9% in Indonesia to 16.2% in the Philippines. Among those with a suicide attempt in the past 12 months, almost half (49.0%) had suicidal ideation and 47.7% had a suicide plan in the past 12 months. In adjusted Poisson regression analysis, female gender, residing in Laos, Philippines, Thailand, and Timor-Leste, no close friends, loneliness, anxiety, bullying victimization, physical attack, lack of parental support, lack of peer support, current alcohol use, lifetime cannabis use, lifetime amphetamine use, soft drink consumption, truancy, and injury were associated with suicide attempt. Limitations: The correlational nature of the study limits the implications of the findings. Conclusion: Almost one in 10 students had attempted suicide in the past 12 months and several factors associated with suicide attempt were identified among adolescents in five Southeast Asian countries.

Sexual behavior and suicide attempts among adolescents aged 12–15 years from 38 countries: A global perspective

BackgroundThe aim was to investigate the relationship between sexual behaviors and suicide attempts by using data from 38 countries from four World Health Organization regions. MethodsCross-sectional data from 116,820 adolescents aged 12–15 years participating in the Global School-based Student Health Survey 2009–2016 were analyzed. Data on sexual behaviors were collected: (i) ever having had intercourse; among those who reported having had intercourse, (ii) multiple (≥2) lifetime sexual partners and (iii) condom use in last sexual intercourse and past 12-month suicide attempts were self-reported. Associations were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression. ResultsThe prevalence of sexual intercourse and suicide attempts were 13.2% and 9.1%, respectively. A positive association between sexual intercourse and suicide attempts was found in 32 of the 38 countries (pooled OR for whole sample 2.12 [95% CI 1.98–2.27]). Having had multiple sexual partners was associated with increased odds of suicide attempts (pooled OR for whole sample 1.58 [1.27–1.96]). Condom non-use was only associated with suicide attempts among boys in the Americas (OR: 1.75 [1.25–2.45]). ConclusionEngaging in sexual intercourse was associated with increased risk of suicide attempt. Moreover, having had multiple sexual partners may also increase the risk of suicide attempts.

Prevalence and correlates of past 12-month suicide attempt among in-school adolescents in Guatemala.

BackgroundThe aim of this investigation was to estimate the prevalence of past 12-month suicide attempts and associated factors among in-school adolescents in Guatemala.MethodsCross-sectional data from the 2014 “Global School-based Health Survey (GSHS)” included 4,274 students (median age 14 years, interquartile range=2 years) that were representative of all middle school students in Guatemala.ResultsThe prevalence of past 12-month suicide attempt was 16.6%, 12.2% among boys and 20.2% among girls. Among students with a suicide attempt in the past year, 52.8% had a suicide plan in the past year. In adjusted logistic regression analysis, male sex and loneliness were associated with past 12-month suicide attempt, and among boys, none of the variables, and among girls, loneliness and current alcohol use were associated with past 12-month suicide attempt.ConclusionA high prevalence and several specific factors associated with suicide attempt were identified which can help in guiding preventive strategies.

Consumption of carbonated soft drinks and suicide attempts among 105,061 adolescents aged 12–15 years from 6 high-income, 22 middle-income, and 4 low-income countries

Multinational studies on the relationship between consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and suicidal behavior in youths are lacking. Thus, the goal of this study was to investigate the association between consumption of carbonated soft drinks and suicide attempts among adolescents from 6 high-income, 22 middle-income and 4 low-income countries. Cross-sectional data from the Global school-based student health survey (GSHS) were analyzed. Data on past 12-month suicide attempts and past 30-day carbonated soft drink consumption (number of times per day) were collected. Multivariable logistic regression and meta-analysis were conducted to assess associations. There were 105,061 adolescents (49.0% females) aged 12-15 years included in the analysis. The overall prevalence of suicide attempts and consumption of carbonated soft drinks ≥3 times/day were 10.2% and 10.7%, respectively. After adjustment for potential confounders (i.e., sex, age, food insecurity, alcohol consumption, smoking, physical activity, obesity, fruit and vegetable consumption, fast food consumption, country), compared to those who did not consume carbonated soft drinks, those who consumed 3 and≥4 times/day were 1.36 (95%CI=1.07-1.72) and 1.43 (95%CI=1.14-1.80) times more likely to have reported an attempted suicide in the past 12 months, respectively. Country-wise analyses showed that consumption of carbonated soft drinks ≥3 times/day (vs. <3 times/day) was associated with higher odds for suicide attempts (i.e., OR>1) in 22 of the 32 included countries with the pooled OR (95%CI) based on a meta-analysis being 1.20 (1.12-1.28; I2=28.6%). Our data indicate that there is a positive association between consumption of carbonated soft drinks and suicide attempts in the past 12 months. Further studies should confirm/refute our findings and investigate the potential underlying mechanisms.

Bullying Victimization and Suicide Attempt Among Adolescents Aged 12-15 Years From 48 Countries.

Adolescent suicide is a global public health problem. Bullying is a risk factor for suicidality in adolescence; however, global data on its association with suicide attempts are lacking, and data from low- and middle-income countries and non-Western settings are scarce. Thus, this study assessed the association between bullying victimization and suicide attempts using data from 48 countries (predominantly low- and middle-income countries) across multiple continents. Data from the Global School-based Student Health Survey were analyzed. Data on past 12-month suicide attempts and past 30-day bullying victimization were collected. Multivariable logistic regression and meta-analysis with random effects were conducted to assess the associations. The final sample consisted of 134,229 adolescents 12 to 15 years of age. The overall prevalences of suicide attempts and bullying victimization were 10.7% and 30.4%, respectively. After adjustment for sex, age, and socioeconomic status, bullying victimization was significantly associated with higher odds for a suicide attempt in 47 of the 48 countries studied, with the pooled odds ratio being 3.06 (95% CI 2.73-3.43). A larger number of days bullied in the past month was dose-dependently associated with higher odds for suicide attempts. The past-year prevalence of suicide attempts ranged from 5.9% for the "no bullying" group up to 32.7% for the "being bullied for 20 to 30 days/month" group (odds ratio 5.51, 95% CI 4.56-6.65). Bullying victimization could be an important risk factor of suicide attempts among adolescents globally. Thus, there is an urgent need to implement effective and evidence-based interventions to address bullying to prevent suicides and suicide attempts among adolescents worldwide.

Leisure-time sedentary behavior and suicide attempt among 126,392 adolescents in 43 countries

BackgroundAdolescent suicide is a major global mental health problem. Exploring variables associated with suicide attempts is important for the development of targeted interventions. The aim of the current study was to explore associations between leisure-time sedentary behavior and suicide attempts. MethodsData from the Global School-based Student Health Survey were analyzed. Data on past 12-month suicide attempts and self-reported leisure-time sedentary time were collected. Multivariable logistic regression and meta-analysis were conducted to assess the associations. ResultsAmong 126,392 students from 43 countries (mean age 13.8 ± 0.96 years; 48.9% female), 10.6% had attempted suicide. The prevalence of suicide attempts increased with increasing sedentary leisure-time per day (from 9% at <1 h/day to 16.8% at >8 h/day). Compared to those engaging in <1 h/day sedentary during leisure-time, there was a dose-dependent increase in odds ratios (ORs) for suicide attempts, with the OR for >8 h/day being 1.45 (95% confidence interval=1.19–1.77). LimitationsThe study is cross-sectional, therefore the directionality of the relationships cannot be deduced. ConclusionsOur data suggest that leisure-time sedentary behavior is associated with increased odds for suicide attempt in adolescence. Future longitudinal data are required to confirm/refute the findings to inform public prevention campaigns.

Food insecurity (hunger) and suicide attempts among 179,771 adolescents attending school from 9 high-income, 31 middle-income, and 4 low-income countries: A cross-sectional study

BackgroundData on food insecurity and suicide attempts in adolescence are scarce. Thus, the aim of the current study was to assess the association between food insecurity (hunger) and suicide attempts in adolescents from 44 countries. MethodsCross-sectional, school-based data from the Global School-based Student Health Survey were analyzed. Data on past 12-month suicide attempts and past 30-day food insecurity (hunger) were collected. Multivariable logistic regression, meta-analysis, and meta-regression were conducted to assess the associations. ResultsThe final sample consisted of 179,771 adolescents attending school. The prevalence of moderate (rarely/sometimes hungry) and severe (most of the time/always hungry) food insecurity were 46.7% and 7.0%, respectively. After adjustment for potential confounders, severe food insecurity (vs. no food insecurity, i.e., no hunger) was significantly associated with higher odds for suicide attempts in 31 of the 44 countries studied with the pooled OR (95% CI) being 1.90 (1.77–2.04) (I2 = 45.2%). The associations were similar across country-income levels. However, meta-regression analysis by country showed that stronger associations were related with lower population prevalence of severe food insecurity. The pooled OR (95% CI) for moderate food insecurity (vs. no food insecurity) was 1.26 (1.21–1.32) (I2 = 29.7%). LimitationsCausality cannot be established due to the cross-sectional study design. ConclusionsFood insecurity (hunger) is a global problem and is associated with suicide attempts. The identification of children suffering from food insecurity (hunger) and remedying this condition may be important to improve mental health among adolescents worldwide.

The association between pain and suicidal behavior in an English national sample: The role of psychopathology

Pain has been linked with an increased risk of engaging in suicidal behavior. However, the role of common mental disorders (CMDs) and borderline personality disorder (BPD) traits in this association is largely unknown. This study was based on data from the 2007 Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey (N = 7403). Suicidal behavior referred to past 12-month suicidal ideation and suicide attempt. Pain was assessed in terms of the level of its interference with work activity in the past four weeks. BPD traits were assessed with the structured interview for DSM disorders questionnaire, and CMDs with the Clinical Interview Schedule Revised (CIS-R). Multivariate logistic regression and mediation analyses were conducted to analyze the association between pain and suicidal behavior, and the role of CMDs and BPD traits in this association. The prevalence of past 12-month suicidal ideation and suicide attempt increased from 2.7% to 11.5% and 0.2% to 2.4%, respectively, between no pain and extreme pain. Pain was found to be significantly associated with suicidal ideation (ORs = 1.61–2.92) and suicide attempt (ORs = 2.95–6.70). CMDs were significant mediators in the pain-suicidal behavior relationship but did not fully explain the association. BPD had little influence in this association. Assessing suicide risk in individuals with pain may be important for suicide prevention. Treating CMDs may reduce risk for suicide in these individuals but other factors leading to higher risk for suicidal behavior should also be investigated in future studies.

Elevated Prevalence of Suicide Attempts among Victims of Police Violence in the USA.

Recent evidence suggests that police victimization is widespread in the USA and psychologically impactful. We hypothesized that civilian-reported police victimization, particularly assaultive victimization (i.e., physical/sexual), would be associated with a greater prevalence of suicide attempts and suicidal ideation. Data were drawn from the Survey of Police-Public Encounters, a population-based survey of adults (N=1615) residing in four US cities. Surveys assessed lifetime exposure to police victimization based on the World Health Organization domains of violence (i.e., physical, sexual, psychological, and neglect), using the Police Practices Inventory. Logistic regression models tested for associations between police victimization and (1) past 12-month suicide attempts and (2) past 12-month suicidal ideation, adjusted for demographic factors (i.e., gender, sexual orientation, race/ethnicity, income), crime involvement, past intimate partner and sexual victimization exposure, and lifetime mental illness. Police victimization was associated with suicide attempts but not suicidal ideation in adjusted analyses. Specifically, odds of attempts were greatly increased for respondents reporting assaultive forms of victimization, including physical victimization (odds ratio=4.5), physical victimization with a weapon (odds ratio=10.7), and sexual victimization (odds ratio=10.2). Assessing for police victimization and other violence exposures may be a useful component of suicide risk screening in urban US settings. Further, community-based efforts should be made to reduce the prevalence of exposure to police victimization.

Loneliness, common mental disorders and suicidal behavior: Findings from a general population survey

BackgroundLoneliness has been linked to an increased risk of engaging in suicidal behavior. To date, however, there has been comparatively little research on this in the general adult population, or on the role of common mental disorders (CMDs) in this association. The current study examined these associations using nationally representative data from England. MethodsData came from the Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey 2007. Information was obtained from 7403 household residents aged ≥16 years on perceived loneliness and lifetime and past 12-month suicide ideation and attempts. The Clinical Interview Schedule Revised (CIS-R) was used to assess six forms of CMD. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine these associations. ResultsLoneliness was associated with suicidal behavior. Although adjusting for CMDs attenuated associations, higher levels of loneliness were still significantly associated with suicidal ideation and suicide attempts with odds ratios (OR) for those in the most severe loneliness category ranging from 3.45 (lifetime suicide attempt) to 17.37 (past 12-month suicide attempt). Further analyses showed that ORs for suicidal behavior were similar for individuals who were lonely without CMDs, and for those respondents with CMDs who were not lonely. Lonely individuals with CMDs had especially elevated odds for suicidal ideation. LimitationsThis study used cross-sectional data and a single-item measure to obtain information on loneliness. ConclusionLoneliness is associated with suicidal behavior in the general adult population. This highlights the importance of efforts to reduce loneliness in order to mitigate its harmful effects on health and well-being.