Modifiable risk factors for attempted suicide in Australian clinical and community samples

Gregory L. Carter, Andrew Page, Kerrie Clover, Richard Taylor

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    20 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Modifiable risk factors for suicide attempt require identification in clinical and community samples. The aim of this study was to determine if similar social and psychiatric factors are associated with suicide attempts in community and clinical settings and whether the magnitude of effect is greater in clinical populations. Two case-control studies were used: nationwide community-based lifetime attempted suicide (ComAS) cases compared to nationwide community controls; and clinical deliberate self-poisoning (ClinDSP) cases that had hospital treatment compared to normative controls of similar demographic composition. The pattern of risk factors in ComAS and ClinDSP cases was similar, the magnitude of risk usually greater in clinical cases. Greatest attributable fractions were: ComAS current unemployment (39.8% male, 15.5% female) and anxiety disorders (14.0% males, 22.6% females); and ClinDSP current unemployment (69.6% male, 55.5% female) and affective disorders (45.4% male, 39.1% female). Practical intervention targets were unemployment, anxiety and substance use disorders, affective disorders (clinical only), and personality disorder (females only).
    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)671-680
    Number of pages10
    JournalSuicide and Life-Threatening Behavior
    Volume37
    Issue number6
    Publication statusPublished - 2007

    Keywords

    • risk factors
    • suicide

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