This study sought to determine the association between nearly lethal suicide attempts and exposure to the suicidal behavior of parents, relatives, friends, or acquaintances and to accounts of suicide in the media. The authors conducted a population-based case-control study in Houston, Texas, from November 1992 through July 1995. They interviewed 153 victims of attempted suicide aged 13--34 years who had been treated at emergency departments in Houston and a random sample of 513 control subjects. After controlling for potentially confounding variables, the authors found that exposure to the suicidal behavior of a parent (adjusted OR = 1.5; 95% CI: 0.6, 3.6; p = 0.42) or a nonparent relative (adjusted OR = 1.2; 95% CI: 0.7, 2.0; p = 0.55) was not significantly associated with nearly lethal suicide attempts. Both exposure to the suicidal behavior of a friend or acquaintance (adjusted OR = 0.6; 95% CI: 0.4, 1.0; p = 0.05) and exposure to accounts of suicidal behavior in the media (adjusted OR = 0.2; 95% CI: 0.1, 0.3; p = 0.00) were associated with a lower risk of nearly lethal suicide attempts. Exposure to accounts of suicidal behavior in the media and, to a lesser extent, exposure to the suicidal behavior of friends or acquaintances may be protective for nearly lethal suicide attempts, but further research is needed to better understand the mechanisms underlying these findings.
We conducted a case-control study of the association between nearly lethal suicide attempts and facets of alcohol consumption; namely, drinking frequency, drinking quantity, binge drinking, alcoholism, drinking within 3 hours of suicide attempt, and age began drinking. Subjects were 13-34 years of age. In bivariable analyses, all measures were associated with nearly lethal suicide attempts. Odds ratios ranged from 2.4 for alcoholism to 7.0 for drinking within 3 hours of attempt. All exposure variables except age began drinking exhibited a J-shaped relationship between alcohol exposure and nearly lethal suicide attempt. After controlling for potential confounders and other measures of alcohol exposure, drinking within 3 hours of attempt remained most strongly (odds ratios > 6) associated. Alcoholism remained significantly associated in most models, but at lower strength.
Teenagers and young adults are very mobile and mobility has been identified as a potential risk factor for suicidal behavior. We conducted a population-based, case-control study of nearly lethal suicide attempts with 153 cases and 513 controls. Study participants were asked about changing residence over the past 12 months. Results indicate that moving in the past 12 months is positively associated with a nearly lethal suicide attempt (adjusted odds ratio of 2.1, with 95% confidence interval of 1.4-3.3), as are specific characteristics of the move (e.g., frequency, recency, distance, and difficulty staying in touch). These findings confirm and extend prior ecologic research by demonstrating a relationship, at the individual level, between the geographic mobility of adolescents and young adults and nearly lethal suicide attempts.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.