risk factors
Last reviewed 01/2018
An increased risk of suicide is associated with the following risk factors:
- biologic
- male
- psychological
- psychiatric illness (personal or family) e.g. - depression, anxiety (e.g., posttraumatic stress disorder) and schizophrenia
- history of suicide attempts
- (personal or family)
- substance use, abuse, dependence
- severe insomnia
- hopelessness
- recent discharge from psychiatric hospital
- the risk is higher during the first week after discharge and remains high for the first few months.
- a UK study carried out among psychiatric patients reported that a quarter of suicides occurred within three months of discharge out of which almost half of patients die within the first month (often before the preliminary follow up)
- patients who were hospitalised for attempted suicide had the highest risk after discharge
- childhood history of trauma, sexual abuse/rape
- environmental/social
- availability of means e.g., access to guns, medications
- recent illness diagnosis or chronic disease, especially chronic painful disorders
- recent suicide in the community, state, nation
- stressful life event e.g., death of a friend or family member, loss of employment, end of a relationship, legal issues, personal economic crisis
- unmarried or limited social support (1,2,3)
Reference:
- (1) Norris D, Clark MS. Evaluation and treatment of the suicidal patient. Am Fam Physician. 2012;85(6):602-5.
- (2) Bolton JM, Gunnell D, Turecki G.Suicide risk assessment and intervention in people with mental illness. BMJ. 2015;351:h4978
- (3) Gordon M, Melvin G. Risk assessment and initial management of suicidal adolescents. Aust Fam Physician. 2014;43(6):367-72.