Major depressive disorder as a risk factor for suicidal ideation for attendees of educational institutions: a meta-analysis and meta-regression

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to analyze the effect of major depressive disorder (MDD) as a risk factor for suicidal ideation in individuals whose ages varied from 11 to 24 years and who were attending educational institutions. Data source: A systematic review was carried out by searching in PubMed and Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde (BVS). Original studies conducted in educational institutions, including individuals whose age varied from 11 to 24 years, in English, Spanish, or Portuguese were included. Data synthesis: Eight studies were selected for the meta-analysis, including 35,443 youths, with an average age of 16.8 years, predominantly female (51.2%), and from middle-income Asian countries (91.6%). An odds ratio of MDD of 3.89 (95%CI 2.46–6.17) for suicide ideation in youth was found. Subgroup analysis showed higher effects in Asia (OR=4.71; 95%CI 3.22–6.89) than Americas (OR=1.71; 95%CI 1.44–2.03). The meta-regression model indicated that younger adolescents (coef=-0.63; 95%CI 1.09–-0.18; p<0.01) and older studies (coef=-0.23; 95%CI 0.039–-0.08; p<0.01) presented higher effects of MDD on suicidal ideation. Conclusions: Early detection and treatment of MDD in youth patients are of utmost importance for preventing suicidal ideation. Educational institutions could play an important role in the early detection and intervention.

Potential Inflammatory Biomarkers for Major Depressive Disorder Related to Suicidal Behaviors: A Systematic Review

“…This is largely due to an overreliance on self-reported suicidal intentions and the limited predictive power of identified nonbiological risk factors [ 4 ]. Nevertheless, our focus in this study was on MDD, aiming to identify potential biomarkers linked to suicidal risk, considering the plausible relationship between depressive states and suicidal ideation [ 5 , 6 ].…”