Time trends in medically serious suicide-related behaviours in boys and girls

Risk prediction models for adolescent suicide: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Adolescence is recognized as a high-risk period for suicide, with the prevalence of suicide risk among adolescents rising globally, positioning it as one of the most urgent public health concerns worldwide. This study systematically reviews and evaluates adolescent suicide risk prediction models, identifies key predictors, and offers valuable insights for the development of future tools to assess suicide risk in adolescents.

METHODS

We systematically searched four international databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Libraries) and four Chinese databases (Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, and Weipu Libraries) up to May 14, 2024. Two researchers independently screened the literature, extracted data, and evaluated the model quality using the Prediction Model Risk of Bias Assessment Tool (PROBAST). Stata17.0 and R4.4.2 softwares were used to conduct meta-analysis.

RESULTS

25 studies involving 62 prediction models were included, of which 51 models were internally validated with an area under the curve (AUC) > 0.7. The researchers mainly used modeling methods such as logistic regression (LR), random forest (RF), extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), decision tree (DT), and support vector machine (SVM). 22 studies performed internal validation of the model, while only 3 had undergone external validation. The models developed in all 25 studies demonstrated good applicability, 19 studies showed a high risk of bias, primarily due to inappropriate data sources and poor reporting of the analysis domain. Meta-analysis results showed that the pooled AUC for internal validation of 28 adolescent suicide risk prediction models was 0.846 (95 %CI=0.828-0.866), while the AUC for external validation of 2 models was 0.810 (95 %CI=0.704-0.932). The detection rate of suicide risk among adolescents was 22.5 % (95 %CI=18.0 %-27.0 %), gender(OR=1.490,95 %CI=1.217-1.824), depressive symptoms (OR=3.175,95 %CI=1.697-5.940), stress level (OR=2.436,95 %CI=1.019-5.819), previous suicidal ideation (OR=1.772,95 %CI=1.640-1.915), previous self-injurious behaviors (OR=4.138,95 %CI=1.328-12.895), drug abuse(OR=3.316,95 %CI=1.537-7.154), history of bullying(OR=3.417,95 %CI=2.567-4.547), and family relationships (OR=1.782,95 %CI=1.115-2.849) were independent influences on adolescent suicide risk (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The adolescent suicide risk prediction model demonstrated excellent predictive performance. However, given the high risk of bias in most studies and the insufficient external validation, its clinical applicability requires further investigation. Future studies on adolescent suicide risk prediction models should focus on predictors, including gender, depressive symptoms, stress level, previous suicidal ideation, previous self-injurious behaviors, drug abuse, history of bullying, and family relationships.

A Comparison Between Before and During the Pandemic in Nonsuicidal Self-Injury Behaviors of Bipolar Disorder

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to assess the feature change of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) behaviors in bipolar disorder before and during the pandemic. A total of 115 adolescents with NSSI were evaluated using a Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition, Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Aged Children-Present and Lifetime Version, and some related scales. In comparison with the 2017 group, female sex, borderline personality disorder, self-reported internalizing disorders, anxiety/depression, and thinking disorders were all related with the 2021 and 2019 groups. The 2019 group was linked to a variety of somatic issues. Negative life experiences, bullying, eating disorders, social issues, depressed feelings, performance and social anxiety, and rejection sentiments were all linked to NSSI. Both shared and differential features between before and during the pandemic may represent possible change for diagnostic and preventative interventions of NSSI in patients with bipolar disorder. Therefore, the doctor should adjust the treatment strategy based on changing of features between before and during the pandemic.

Trends in emergency department visits for suicide attempts before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in Korea: A nationwide study, 2016-2021

BACKGROUND

There is increasing concern that the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic will result in excess suicides by increasing known risk factors, such as suicide attempts. However, evidence on the long-term impacts of COVID-19 on suicide attempts is lacking. We aimed to assess the short- and long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients with suicide attempts in emergency departments (EDs) and to evaluate age- and sex-specific differences.

METHOD

We conducted nationwide cross-sectional study among patients with suicide attempts in the ED from 2016 to 2021. The trend test were used to determine whether study subjects were affected by changes in ED visits for suicide attempts. We estimated the average annual percentage change (APC) stratified by sex and age groups.

RESULTS

The number of ED visits related to suicide attempts increased from 27,581 in 2016 to 37,719 in 2021. In particular, it decreased immediately after the COVID-19 pandemic but increased again in 2021. We identified that the average APC increased by 6.8 % overall, 1.6 % among males, and 10.8 % among females. Moreover, the APC of trend sharply increased in patients aged 10s and 20s. The in-hospital mortality was 3.6 % for females, compared to 9.5 % for males, which showed sex differences.

LIMITATIONS

Other information such as severity of injury, interpersonal relationships were not available. This study was limited to confirming causal relationship based on a descriptive study.

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence of suicide attempts in ED has increased in Korea. In particular, there was a sharp increase among women, adolescents and young adults. Patient-tailored treatment and preventive medical system for suicide attempts is important.

Assessment of Contributing Factors and Treatment Practices for Therapeutic Efficacy and Drug-Related Problems in Suicidal Psychotic Patients

Suicide, a deliberate act of self-harm with the intention to die, is an emerging health concern but, unfortunately, the most under-researched subject in Pakistan, especially in Khyber Pukhtunkhwa (KPK). In this study, we aimed to identify risk factors that can be associated with suicidal behavior (SB) and to evaluate the prevailing treatment practices for therapeutic efficacy and drug-related problems (DRPs) in psychotic patients among the local population of KPK. A prospective, multicenter study was conducted for suicidal cases admitted to the study centers by randomized sampling. Socio-demographics and data on suicidal behavior were assessed using the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS), socioeconomic condition by Kuppuswamy socioeconomic scale (KSES) and treatment adherence by Morisky Medication-Taking Adherence Scale (MMAS-4). Drug-related problems and the therapeutic efficacy of prevailing treatment practices were assessed at baseline and follow-up after 3 months of treatment provided. Regarding suicidality (N = 128), females reported more ideations (63.1%), while males witnessed more suicidal behavior (66.6%, p < 0.001). Suicide attempters were mostly married (55.6%, p < 0.002); highly educated (53.9%, p = 0.004); dissatisfied with their life and had a previous history (p < 0.5) of suicide attempt (SA) (20.6%), self-injurious behavior (SIB) (39.7%) and interrupted (IA) or aborted attempts (AA) (22.2%). A greater improvement was observed in patients receiving combination therapy (p = 0.001) than pharmacotherapy (p = 0.006) or psychotherapy (p = 0.183), alone. DRPs were also detected, including drug-selection problems (17.88%), dose-related problems (20.64%), potential drug−drug interactions (24.31%), adverse drug reactions (11.46%) and other problems like inadequate education and counseling (21.55%). Furthermore, it was also found that psychotic patients with suicidal ideations (SI) were significantly (p = 0.01) more adherent to the treatment as compared to those with suicidal attempts. We concluded that suicide attempters differed significantly from patients with suicidal ideations in psychotic patients and presented with peculiar characteristics regarding socio-demographic factors. A combination of therapies and adherence to the treatment provided better outcomes, and targeted interventions are warranted to address drug-related problems.

Suicide burden in Latin America, 1990-2019: findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

OBJECTIVES

Suicide is a critical public health issue worldwide. The objective was to report the findings from the Global Burden of Disease study on the burden of suicide in Latin America from 1990 to 2019 and to assess its association with the sociodemographic index (SDI).

STUDY DESIGN

This was a cross-sectional descriptive study.

METHODS

Following the 2019 Global Burden of Disease study, suicide mortality, premature mortality, years lived with disability, and disability-adjusted life-years in Latin America are reported.

RESULTS

The number of deaths from suicides increased significantly in most countries, but the age-standardized suicide mortality rate had a heterogeneous behavior. Suicide burden was higher for males in all age groups, and in most countries, the male-to-female ratio increased between 1990 and 2019. Almost all suicide burden is attributable to premature mortality. The highest suicide burden was present in young males and females. All countries had an increase in the SDI, and in most countries, there was a statistically significant correlation between this indicator and the suicide disability-adjusted life-years rates.

CONCLUSIONS

To best promote suicide prevention, it is important to understand sex and age-specific suicide burden patterns. According to these results, prevention programs intended to prevent suicide should be implemented with a special focus on high-risk groups such as young adults and the elderly.

The practice of lethal means restriction counseling in US emergency departments to reduce suicide risk: a systematic review of the literature

BACKGROUND

Suicide is a leading cause of death in the US. Lethal means restriction (LMR), which encourages limiting access and reducing the lethality of particular methods of suicide, has been identified as a viable prevention strategy. For this approach to be successful, adequate education about risks and means must be communicated to families and individuals at risk for suicide. This systematic review aims to identify LMR methods most commonly communicated by healthcare providers in the emergency department, and barriers to the delivery of such counseling.

METHODS

The protocol for this systematic review is registered with PROSPERO (CRD42018076734). Included studies were identified through searching four databases (PubMed, Scopus, PsycInfo, and EBSCO). Studies were selected and coded independently by two researchers using the PICOS framework. Included studies examined LMR counseling delivered in the ED regardless of patient age, sex or race/ethnicity.

RESULTS

A total of 1282 studies were screened; 9 met the inclusion criteria. Included studies were published from 1998 to 2020. Study participants were majority female, and safe firearm storage was the most common form of LMR counseling provided. Eight studies included counseling on multiple forms of lethal means, [e.g., alcohol, medication, and firearm storage] and one study focused solely on safe firearm storage. Two studies reported barriers limiting healthcare providers' delivery of LMR counseling, including lack of specialized skills and skepticism regarding the effectiveness of LMR counseling.

CONCLUSION

There is limited published evidence that identifies the most effective methods and target populations for LMR counseling. Given the growing literature that provides evidence of gender differences in suicide modality (e.g., guns, medications, suffocation), LMR counseling should be multifaceted, to address common means of suicide in both men and women. Despite evidence that the majority of suicide attempts and half of completed suicides do not involve firearms, results showed that LMR counseling is frequently focused on promoting the safe storage of firearms. This highlights the need to include counseling focused on a variety of lethal means to reduce risk of suicide completion. Prospective studies should also aim to identify the most efficacious methods of delivering LMR counseling in the clinical settings.

A Comparison between Severe Suicidality and Nonsuicidal Self-Injury Behaviors in Bipolar Adolescents Referred to a Psychiatric Emergency Unit

Background: Severe suicide ideation or attempts and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) present both differences and relevant overlaps, including frequent co-occurrence and shared risk factors. Specific categorical diagnoses, namely bipolar disorder (BD), may affect clinical features and natural histories of suicidal or not suicidal self-harm behaviour. Our study aimed to compare suicidality (severe suicidal ideation or suicidal attempts) and NSSI in referred bipolar adolescents. Methods: The sample included 95 bipolar adolescents (32 males, 63 females) aged 11 to 18 years. Thirty adolescents with suicide attempts/suicidal ideation and BD (SASIB) were compared with structured measures to 35 adolescents with NSSI and BD, without suicidal ideation or attempts (NSSIB), and to 30 adolescents with BD, without suicidal ideation or attempts or NSSI (CB). Results: Compared to CB, suicidality and NSSI were both associated with female sex, borderline personality disorder and self-reported internalizing disorders, anxiety/depression and thought disorders. The NSSI were specifically associated with somatic problems. Severe suicidal ideation and suicide attempts were associated with adverse life events, immigration, bullying, eating disorders, social problems, depressive feelings, performance and social anxiety, and feelings of rejection. Conclusions: Both shared and differential features between suicidal and not suicidal adolescents may represent possible targets for diagnostic and preventative interventions.

Segmenting or Summing the Parts? A Scoping Review of Male Suicide Research in Canada

OBJECTIVE

Suicide in Canadian men is high and rising. Research consistently indicates increased suicide risk in male subgroups including sexual minority, Indigenous, middle-aged, and military men. The current scoping review addresses the research question: Among male subgroups featured in Canadian suicide research, what are the key findings to inform suicide prevention efforts?.

METHOD

A scoping review was undertaken in accord with PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Structured searches were conducted in CIHAHL, Medline, PsychInfo, and Web of Science to identify studies reporting suicidality (suicidal ideation, plans and/or attempts) and suicide among men in Canada. Inclusion criteria comprised primary empirical studies featuring Canadian male subgroups published in English from 2009 to 2020 inclusive.

RESULTS

Sixty-eight articles met the inclusion criteria, highlighting significant rates of male suicidality and/or suicide in 3 categories: (1) health inequities (n = 29); (2) age-specific (n = 30); and (3) occupation (n = 9). The health inequities category included sexual minority men, Indigenous, and other marginalized males (i.e., homeless, immigrant men, and men who use opiates). Age-specific men focused on adolescents and youth, and middle-aged and older males. Active military, veterans, and first responders featured in the occupation category. Studies compared at risk male subgroups to females, general male populations, and/or other marginalized groups in emphasizing mental health disparities and increased suicide risk. Some men's suboptimal connections to existing mental health care services were also highlighted.

CONCLUSION

While male subgroups who are vulnerable to suicidality and suicide were consistently described, these insights have not translated to tailored upstream suicide prevention services for Canadian boys and men. There may be some important gains through integrating social and mental health care services for marginalized men, implementing school-based masculinity programs for adolescent males, orientating clinicians to the potential for men's mid-life suicide risks (i.e., separation, bereavement, retirement) and lobbying employers to norm help-seeking among activate military, veterans, and first responder males.

Recruitment of adolescents with suicidal ideation in the emergency department: lessons from a randomized controlled pilot trial of a youth suicide prevention intervention

BACKGROUND

Emergency Departments (EDs) are a first point-of-contact for many youth with mental health and suicidality concerns and can serve as an effective recruitment source for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of mental health interventions. However, recruitment in acute care settings is impeded by several challenges. This pilot RCT of a youth suicide prevention intervention recruited adolescents aged 12 to 17 years presenting to a pediatric hospital ED with suicide related behaviors.

METHODS

Recruitment barriers were identified during the initial study recruitment period and included: the time of day of ED presentations, challenges inherent to study presentation, engagement and participation during an acute presentation, challenges approaching and enrolling acutely suicidal patients and families, ED environmental factors, and youth and parental concerns regarding the study. We calculated the average recruitment productivity for published trials of adolescent suicide prevention strategies which included the ED as a recruitment site in order to compare our recruitment productivity.

RESULTS

In response to identified barriers, an enhanced ED-centered recruitment strategy was developed to address low recruitment rate, specifically (i) engaging a wider network of ED and outpatient psychiatry staff (ii) dissemination of study pamphlets across multiple areas of the ED and relevant outpatient clinics. Following implementation of the enhanced recruitment strategy, the pre-post recruitment productivity, a ratio of patients screened to patients randomized, was computed. A total of 120 patients were approached for participation, 89 (74.2%) were screened and 45 (37.5%) were consented for the study from March 2018 to April 2019. The screening to randomization ratio for the study period prior to the introduction of the enhanced recruitment strategies was 3:1, which decreased to 1.8:1 following the implementation of enhanced recruitment strategies. The ratio for the total recruitment period was 2.1:1. This was lower than the average ratio of 3.2:1 for published trials.

CONCLUSIONS

EDs are feasible sites for participant recruitment in RCTs examining new interventions for acute mental health problems, including suicidality. Engaging multi-disciplinary ED staff to support recruitment for such studies, proactively addressing anticipated concerns, and creating a robust recruitment pathway that includes approach at outpatient appointments can optimize recruitment.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov : NCT03488602 , retrospectively registered April 4, 2018.

A suicide prevention strategy for youth presenting to the emergency department with suicide related behaviour: protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Suicide is a leading cause of death among adolescents in North America. Youth who present to the Emergency Department (ED) with acute suicidality are at increased risk for eventual death by suicide, thereby presenting an opportunity for secondary prevention of suicide. The current study evaluates the effectiveness of a standardized individual and family-based suicidal behaviour risk reduction intervention targeting adolescents at high-risk for suicide.

METHODS

A randomized controlled trial (RCT) will be conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of a manualized youth- and family- based suicide prevention strategy (SPS) as compared with case navigation (NAV) among adolescents aged 12 to 18 years of age who present to the ED with acute suicidal ideation (SI) or suicide risk behaviours (SRB). We will recruit 128 participants and compare psychiatric symptoms including SI/SRB, family communication, and functional impairment at baseline and follow-ups (post-intervention [6 weeks], 24 weeks). The primary outcome is change in suicidal ideation measured with the Suicide Ideation Questionnaire- Junior. SRBs are measured with the Suicide Behaviour Questionnaire. Secondary outcomes are change in depressive and anxious symptoms measured with semi-structured psychiatric interview and Screen for Child Anxiety Related Disorders; acute mental health crises measured by urgent medical (including ED) visits; family communication measured with Conflict Behaviour Questionnaire, functional impairment measured by Columbia Impairment Scale; cost effectiveness, and fidelity of implementation measured by audio recording and fidelity checklist.

DISCUSSION

Results of this study will inform a larger multi-centre RCT that will include both community and academic hospitals in urban and rural settings. Study results will be shared at international psychiatry and emergency medicine meetings, in local rounds, and via publication in academic journals and clinician-oriented newsletters. If effective, the intervention may provide a brief, scalable, and transportable treatment program that may be implemented in a variety of settings, including those in which access to children's mental health care services is challenging.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03488602, retrospectively registered April 4, 2018.

Gender differences in suicidal behavior in adolescents and young adults: systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal studies

OBJECTIVES

To assess the association between gender and suicide attempt/death and identify gender-specific risk/protective factors in adolescents/young adults.

METHODS

Systematic review (5 databases until January 2017). Population-based longitudinal studies considering non-clinical populations, aged 12-26 years, assessing associations between gender and suicide attempts/death, or evaluating their gender risk/protective factors, were included. Random effect meta-analyses were performed.

RESULTS

Sixty-seven studies were included. Females presented higher risk of suicide attempt (OR 1.96, 95% CI 1.54-2.50), and males for suicide death (HR 2.50, 95% CI 1.8-3.6). Common risk factors of suicidal behaviors for both genders are previous mental or substance abuse disorder and exposure to interpersonal violence. Female-specific risk factors for suicide attempts are eating disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder, being victim of dating violence, depressive symptoms, interpersonal problems and previous abortion. Male-specific risk factors for suicide attempt are disruptive behavior/conduct problems, hopelessness, parental separation/divorce, friend's suicidal behavior, and access to means. Male-specific risk factors for suicide death are drug abuse, externalizing disorders, and access to means. For females, no risk factors for suicide death were studied.

CONCLUSIONS

More evidence about female-specific risk/protective factors of suicide death, for adolescent/young adults, is needed.

The growth of suicide ideation, plan and attempt among young adults in the Mexico City metropolitan area

AIMS

Low and middle income countries share a heavy burden of suicide with about three in every four suicides occurring in these countries. Mexico has witnessed a growing trend in suicide deaths; if this trend is not simply a reflection of better reporting of suicide on death certificates, then this increase should logically be accompanied by an increasing trend in suicide ideation, plan and attempts, but we lack information on the trends for suicide ideation, plan and attempt for this period. We therefore aim to report changes for suicidal behaviour for the period 2001-2013 in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area.

METHOD

Using two cross-sectional surveys conducted in Mexico in 2001 and 2013, we report the lifetime and 12-month prevalence of suicide ideation, plan and attempt and changes in treatment for these problems among respondents aged 19-26 living in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area 12 years apart. To estimate the changes in prevalence for each outcome, we used generalised linear models to calculate prevalence ratios (PR; the prevalence rate in the exposed (year 2013) divided by the prevalence rate in the unexposed (year 2001-2002), adjusting for sociodemographic variables.

RESULTS

While increases in the prevalence are noted everywhere, statistical comparisons only found differences for lifetime ideation (PR = 3.1; 95% CI = 1.7-5.8) and a borderline difference for suicide attempt (PR = 2.2; 95% CI = 1.0-4.9). No attempt within the last 12-months was reported in 2001, but the prevalence in 2013 reached 1.5% (18 cases). While PRs for 12-month prevalence were all above the null, none reached statistically significant differences. During this 12-year period, the distribution of mental disorders and the use of services for mental disorders among suicide ideators, planners and attempters did not change in any noticeable way.

CONCLUSIONS

The limitations of our data are the small number of participants in the 2001 survey, the low follow-up rate for the survey in 2013 and that while representative from one city it does not represent the whole country. These findings suggest that suicide ideation and attempt may have increased during this 12-year period in the Mexico City metropolitan area, but this increase did not lead to more use of mental health care services. This information, coupled with the long-term trend of increasing suicide death rates in the country, draw a worrisome and neglected scenario for our youth in this region. Urgent measures, following the recent WHO guidelines for suicide prevention, must not be postponed.

Population-based analysis of health care contacts among suicide decedents: identifying opportunities for more targeted suicide prevention strategies

The objective of this study was to detail the nature and correlates of mental health and non-mental health care contacts prior to suicide death. We conducted a systematic extraction of data from records at the Office of the Chief Coroner of Ontario of each person who died by suicide in the city of Toronto from 1998 to 2011. Data on 2,835 suicide deaths were linked with provincial health administrative data to identify health care contacts during the 12 months prior to suicide. Sub-populations of suicide decedents based on the presence and type of mental health care contact were described and compared across socio-demographic, clinical and suicide-specific variables. Time periods from last mental health contact to date of death were calculated and a Cox proportional hazards model examined covariates. Among suicide decedents, 91.7% had some type of past-year health care contact prior to death, 66.4% had a mental health care contact, and 25.3% had only non-mental health contacts. The most common type of mental health contact was an outpatient primary care visit (54.0%), followed by an outpatient psychiatric visit (39.8%), an emergency department visit (31.1%), and a psychiatric hospitalization (21.0%). The median time from last mental health contact to death was 18 days (interquartile range 5-63). Mental health contact was significantly associated with female gender, age 25-64, absence of a psychosocial stressor, diagnosis of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, past suicide attempt, self-poisoning method and absence of a suicide note. Significant differences between sub-populations of suicide decedents based on the presence and nature of their health care contacts suggest the need for targeting of community and clinical-based suicide prevention strategies. The predominance of ambulatory mental health care contacts, often close to the time of death, reinforce the importance of concentrating efforts on embedding risk assessment and care pathways into all routine primary and specialty clinical care, and not only acute care settings.

Mental health outcomes in times of economic recession: a systematic literature review

Background

Countries in recession experience high unemployment rates and a decline in living conditions, which, it has been suggested, negatively influences their populations’ health. The present review examines the recent evidence of the possible association between economic recessions and mental health outcomes.

Methods

Literature review of records identified through Medline, PsycINFO, SciELO, and EBSCO Host. Only original research papers, published between 2004 and 2014, peer-reviewed, non-qualitative research, and reporting on associations between economic factors and proxies of mental health were considered.

Results

One-hundred-one papers met the inclusion criteria. The evidence was consistent that economic recessions and mediators such as unemployment, income decline, and unmanageable debts are significantly associated with poor mental wellbeing, increased rates of common mental disorders, substance-related disorders, and suicidal behaviours.

Conclusion

On the basis of a thorough analysis of the selected investigations, we conclude that periods of economic recession are possibly associated with a higher prevalence of mental health problems, including common mental disorders, substance disorders, and ultimately suicidal behaviour. Most of the research is based on cross-sectional studies, which seriously limits causality inferences. Conclusions are summarised, taking into account international policy recommendations concerning the cost-effective measures that can possibly reduce the occurrence of negative mental health outcomes in populations during periods of economic recession.