Gambling Disorder Symptoms,Suicidal Ideation,and Suicide Attempts

Objective Gambling disorder (GD) patients have a higher suicide risk compared to the general population. The present study investigates the suicide-related risk factors of GD patients by analyzing GD diagnosis-related symptoms and suicide-related behaviors of subjects. Methods This study investigated which symptoms among GD diagnosis criteria are related to suicide risk in 142 patients diagnosed with GD. To analyze the relationship between GD symptoms and suicidal ideation and suicide attempt, the odds ratio (OR) was determined through multivariate logistic regression. Results The number of symptoms was significantly higher in the subjects who had suicidal ideation group and attempt group. In the cases of past suicide attempts, responses to withdrawal and escape questions were significantly higher; in the cases of ongoing suicidal ideation, responses to negative consequences and bailout questions were significantly higher. When depression was corrected, the ‘bailout’ item was, indicating that ‘bailout’ increased suicidal ideation (OR=4.937, 95% CI=1.009–24.164). In the suicide attempt group, ‘relieve’ item may increase suicide attempt (OR=6.978, 95% CI=1.300–35.562). Conclusion Past suicide attempts in GD patients correlated with withdrawal symptoms, and financial problem correlated with suicidal ideation. This suggests that evaluating suicide risk is important when evaluating GD patients, and evaluation of financial problems is important for GD patients with suicide risks.     

Suicidality and sexual orientation among men in Switzerland: findings from 3 probability surveys

Few population-based surveys in Europe have examined the link between suicidality and sexual orientation. The objective of this study was to assess the prevalences of and risk for suicidality by sexual orientation, especially among adolescent and young adult men. Data came from three probability-based surveys in Switzerland from 2002: 1) Geneva Gay Men's Health Survey (GGMHS) with 571 gay/bisexual men, 2) Swiss Multicenter Adolescent Survey on Health (SMASH) with 7,428 16–20 year olds, and 3) Swiss Recruit Survey (ch-x) with 22,415 new recruits. In GGMHS, suicidal ideation (12 months/lifetime) was reported by 22%/55%, suicide plans 12%/38%, and suicide attempts 4%/19%. While lifetime prevalences and ratios are similar across age groups, men under 25 years reported the highest 12-month prevalences for suicidal ideation (35.4%) and suicide attempts (11.5%) and the lowest attempt ratios (1:1.5 for attempt to plan and 1:3.1 for attempt to ideation). The lifetime prevalence of suicide attempts among homo/bisexual men aged 16–20 years varies from 5.1% in ch-x to 14.1% in SMASH to 22.0% in GGMHS. Compared to their heterosexual counterparts, significantly more homo/bisexual men reported 12-month suicidal ideation, plans, and attempts (OR = 2.09–2.26) and lifetime suicidal ideation (OR = 2.15) and suicide attempts (OR = 4.68–5.36). Prevalences and ratios vary among gay men by age and among young men by both sexual orientation and study population. Lifetime prevalences and ratios of non-fatal suicidal behaviors appear constant across age groups as is the increased risk of suicidality among young homo/bisexual men.     

Familial transmission of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts: evidence from a general population sample

The goals of the study were (1) to determine the association between parental and offspring suicidal ideation and suicide attempts among adult offspring in a general community sample, and (2) to examine the extent to which this association can be explained by mediating processes of mental disorders. Data were drawn from the National Comorbidity Survey (n=8098), a representative household sample of adults aged 15-54 in the United States. The relationships between suicidal ideation and suicide attempts among adult offspring and suicidal ideation and suicide attempt in their parents, compared with those in parents not characterized by suicidal ideation or suicide attempts, were calculated using multiple logistic regression analyses. Analyses were adjusted for differences in sociodemographic characteristics and for mental disorders. Results showed that parental suicidal ideation was associated with a significantly increased likelihood of suicidal ideation [OR=1.7 (1.2, 2.5)] and suicide attempt [OR=1.4 (0.9, 2.1)] among offspring. Parental suicide attempt was associated with increased odds of suicidal ideation [OR=2.0 (1.4, 2.9)] and suicide attempt [OR=2.2 (1.4, 3.4)] among offspring. Comorbid mental disorders contributed to the strength of these associations, but with the exception of the link between parental suicidal ideation and offspring suicide attempt, all remained statistically significant even after adjustment. These data provide initial evidence of familial linkages (parent-offspring) of suicidal ideation and behavior among a sample of adults representative of the US population. The data suggest that comorbid mental disorders contribute to these associations but do not completely account for them. The findings are consistent with and extend results from family, clinical, and high-risk studies suggesting that a familial risk of suicidal ideation and suicide behavior occurs in the general population. Implications for prevention and future research are discussed.     

Suicidal Ideation among Attendees of a West African HIV Clinic

The paucity of information on suicide and its related issues among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) can impair evidence guided intervention. This study was set to determine the prevalence of suicidal ideation and the associated risk factors among PLWHA. A total of 295 participants made up of HIV positive individuals were subjected to a sociodemographic/clinical profile questionnaire. This was followed by the 28-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28), suicidal intention item from the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and World Health Organisation Quality of Life (WHOQOL)—Bref scale to assess emotional distress, suicidal ideation, and quality of life respectively. The prevalence of suicidal ideation among PLWHA was 13.6%; and being unmarried, poor medication adherence, and poorer quality of life were significantly associated (p < 0.05) with suicidal ideation; while unemployment (odds ratio [OR] = 0.200; 95% Confidence Interval [CI] = 0.084–0.476; P < 0.001), emotional distress (OR = 5.734; 95% CI = 2.119–15.519; P—0.001), religion (OR = 4.829; 95% CI = 1.639–14.231; P—0.004), HIV status non-disclosure (OR = 2.630; 95% CI = 1.015–6.809; P—0.046) and previous suicidal attempt (OR = 0.172, 95% CI = 0.042–0.705; P—0.014) were not only associated but predictive of suicidal ideation in PLWHA. These findings indicate a significant burden of suicidal ideation, and psychosocial with clinical factors constitute identifiable risk factors among PLWHA. The development of evidence guided preventive and treatment measures against suicide among PLWHA are implied.     

Bullying perpetration and victimization associations to suicide behavior: a longitudinal study

Previous studies have reported a longitudinal association between cybervictimization and suicidal thoughts and behavior. However, the relationship between cyber-perpetration and prospective suicide risk remains unclear. The sample was composed of 2150 at-risk adolescents (mean age 15.42), enrolled in Vocational Education and Training high schools in Israel. Cyberbullying, traditional bullying, depression, hostility, serious suicidal ideations, and suicide attempts were assessed through self-report questionnaires at the beginning of the school year and one year later. All types of victimization and preparation were cross-sectionally associated with suicide ideation and attempts. Longitudinal associations were found between cyber-perpetration and suicidal ideation/attempts. Cyber-perpetrators were found to be over twice more likely to report serious suicidal ideation (OR = 2.04) or attempt suicide (OR = 2.64) in the subsequent year compared to noninvolved adolescents. These associations were significant even after adjusting for baseline depression, hostility, and traditional bullying. Traditional bullying perpetration was prospectively associated with suicide attempts. Traditional victimization was cross-sectionally associated with suicide ideation and attempts but not prospectively. Cybervictimization was prospectively associated with suicide ideation but not to suicide attempts. The findings demonstrate the prospective risk of involvement in bullying in regard to suicide ideation and behavior. Cyberbullying was found to be a somewhat differentiated phenomena from traditional bullying.

     

Suicide attempt and suicidal ideation and their associations with demographic and clinical correlates and quality of life in Chinese schizophrenia patients

Objectives

This study aimed to examine the prevalence and correlates of lifetime suicide attempts and current suicidal ideation in community-dwelling schizophrenia patients in China.

Method

A sample of 540 schizophrenia patients was randomly selected in Beijing, China. All subjects were interviewed using standardized assessment instruments and their basic socio-demographic and clinical data including history of suicide attempts were collected.

Results

The prevalence of lifetime suicide attempts and the point prevalence of suicidal ideation were 12.0 %, and 21.1 %, respectively. In multiple logistic regression analyses, the presence of lifetime suicide attempt was independently associated with rural residence, having major medical conditions and better social functioning, while higher likelihood of current suicidal ideation was associated with past suicide attempt, the severity of overall psychopathology and depressive symptoms and lower psychological quality of life (QOL).

Conclusion

Among Chinese outpatients with schizophrenia, increased current symptoms and poorer QOL were correlated with current suicidal ideation, while demographic factors and indicators of greater social support were mostly correlated with lifetime suicide attempts. This study may help to identify important subgroups of patients with schizophrenia at particularly high risk of suicidal behavior.     

Suicidal ideation and attempts in bipolar I and II disorders

OBJECTIVE: Few studies have investigated the prevalence of and risk factors for suicidal ideation and attempts among representative samples of psychiatric patients with bipolar I and II disorders. METHOD: In the Jorvi Bipolar Study (JoBS), psychiatric inpatients and outpatients were screened for bipolar disorders with the Mood Disorder Questionnaire from January 1, 2002, to February 28, 2003. According to Structured Clinical Interviews for DSM-IV Axis I and II Disorders, 191 patients were diagnosed with bipolar disorders (bipolar I, N = 90; bipolar II, N = 101). Suicidal ideation was measured using the Scale for Suicidal Ideation. Prevalence of and risk factors for ideation and attempts were investigated. RESULTS: During the current episode, 39 (20%) of the patients had attempted suicide and 116 (61%) had suicidal ideation; all attempters also reported ideation. During their lifetime, 80% of patients (N = 152) had had suicidal behavior and 51% (N = 98) had attempted suicide. In nominal regression models, severity of depressive episode and hopelessness were independent risk factors for suicidal ideation, and hopelessness, comorbid personality disorder, and previous suicide attempt were independent risk factors for suicide attempts. There were no differences in prevalence of suicidal behavior between bipolar I and II disorder; the risk factors were overlapping but not identical. CONCLUSION: Over their lifetime, the vast majority (80%) of psychiatric patients with bipolar disorders have either suicidal ideation or ideation plus suicide attempts. Depression and hopelessness, comorbidity, and preceding suicidal behavior are key indicators of risk. The prevalence of suicidal behavior in bipolar I and II disorders is similar, but the risk factors for it may differ somewhat between the two.     

Mental disorders and risk of suicide attempt in prisoners

Background

Mental disorders are overrepresented in prisoners, placing them at an increased risk of suicide. Advancing our understanding of how different mental disorders relate to distinct stages of the suicidal process—the transition from ideation to action—would provide valuable information for clinical risk assessment in this high-risk population.

Methods

Data were drawn from a representative sample of 1212 adults (1093 men) incarcerated across 13 New Zealand prisons, accounting for 14% of the national prison population. Guided by an ideation-to-action framework, three mutually exclusive groups of participants were compared on the presence of mental disorders assessed by validated DSM-IV diagnostic criteria: prisoners without any suicidal history (controls; n = 778), prisoners who thought about suicide but never made a suicide attempt (ideators; n = 187), and prisoners who experienced suicidal ideation and acted on such thoughts (attempters; n = 247).

Results

One-third (34.6%) of participants reported a lifetime history of suicidal ideation, of whom 55.6% attempted suicide at some point (19.2% of all prisoners). Suicidal outcomes in the absence of mental disorders were rare. Whilst each disorder increased the odds of suicidal ideation (OR range 1.73–4.13) and suicide attempt (OR range 1.82–4.05) in the total sample (n = 1212), only a select subset of disorders was associated with suicide attempt among those with suicidal ideation (n = 434). Drug dependence (OR 1.65, 95% CI 1.10–2.48), alcohol dependence (OR 1.89, 95% CI 1.26–2.85), and posttraumatic stress disorder (OR 2.09, 95% CI 1.37–3.17) distinguished attempters from ideators.

Conclusion

Consistent with many epidemiological studies in the general population, our data suggest that most mental disorders are best conceptualized as risk factors for suicidal ideation rather than for suicide attempt. Once prisoners consider suicide, other biopsychosocial factors beyond the mere presence of mental disorders may account for the progression from thoughts to acts of suicide.

     

Social support and suicidal ideation in Japan: are home visits by commissioned welfare volunteers associated with a lower risk of suicidal ideation among elderly people in the community?

Aims

Social support has consistently been reported to be effective in reducing suicidal ideation. This cross-sectional study was performed to determine whether home visits by commissioned welfare volunteers (i.e., organizations of community residents appointed by national or prefectural governments) are associated with a lower risk of suicidal ideation among the elderly.

Methods

In August 2010, questionnaires were sent to all residents aged ≥65 years in three municipalities (n = 21,232) in Okayama prefecture, Japan, and 13,929 returned the questionnaire (response rate: 65.6 %). We finally analyzed 11,218 subjects. Both home visits by commissioned welfare volunteers and suicidal ideation within the last 30 days were assessed in the questionnaire. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) for suicidal ideation were calculated adjusting for age, sex, educational attainment, and marital status. We then additionally adjusted for instrumental and emotional support, separately.

Results

The prevalence of suicidal ideation was 10.0 % and higher in women than in men (11.4 % vs. 8.0 %). Home visits were significantly associated with a lower risk of suicidal ideation after adjusting for instrumental and emotional support, respectively (OR: 0.60, 95 % CI: 0.53–0.69; OR: 0.67, 95 % CI: 0.59–0.78). In sex-stratified analysis, the association was clearer for women than for men: the corresponding ORs among women were 0.55 (95 % CI: 0.46–0.65) and 0.61 (95 % CI: 0.52–0.73), whereas they were 0.71 (95 % CI: 0.56–0.90) and 0.78 (95 % CI: 0.61–0.99) among men.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that home visits by commissioned welfare volunteers are significantly associated with lower suicidal ideation among the elderly, particularly in women.     

Gender differences in the association of agitation and suicide attempts among psychiatric inpatients

ObjectiveTo determine if the relationship of agitation with suicide ideation and suicide attempts differed between men and women.MethodSelf-reported severity of agitation and other suicide risk factors was obtained from 7698 consecutive patients during admission for inpatient psychiatric treatment during a 5-year period.ResultsAgitation was highest among men with a history of suicide attempts. Agitation was significantly associated with frequency of suicide ideation and history of suicide attempt, but the gender-by-suicide interaction was only significant as a predictor of suicide attempt history. For men, agitation was associated with significantly increased risk for suicide attempt, but for women, agitation was not associated with risk for suicide attempt history. Results were unchanged when analyses were repeated among the subgroup of patients with suicide ideation.ConclusionsAgitation is associated with history of suicide attempt among male but not female psychiatric inpatients. Agitation differentiates between those men who have only thought about suicide and those who have made suicide attempts.     

Sex differences in clinical predictors of suicidal acts after major depression: a prospective study

OBJECTIVE: Whether sex differences exist in clinical risk factors associated with suicidal behavior is unknown. The authors postulated that among men with a major depressive episode, aggression, hostility, and history of substance misuse increase risk for future suicidal behavior, while depressive symptoms, childhood history of abuse, fewer reasons for living, and borderline personality disorder do so in depressed women. METHOD: Patients with DSM-III-R major depression or bipolar disorder seeking treatment for a major depressive episode (N=314) were followed for 2 years. Putative predictors were tested with Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. RESULTS: During follow-up, 16.6% of the patients attempted or committed suicide. Family history of suicidal acts, past drug use, cigarette smoking, borderline personality disorder, and early parental separation each more than tripled the risk of future suicidal acts in men. For women, the risk for future suicidal acts was sixfold greater for prior suicide attempters; each past attempt increased future risk threefold. Suicidal ideation, lethality of past attempts, hostility, subjective depressive symptoms, fewer reasons for living, comorbid borderline personality disorder, and cigarette smoking also increased the risk of future suicidal acts for women. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that the importance of risk factors for suicidal acts differs in depressed men and women. This knowledge may improve suicide risk evaluation and guide future research on suicide assessment and prevention.     

Rumination and Pessimistic Certainty as Mediators of the Relation Between Lifetime Suicide Attempt History and Future Suicidal Ideation

This study examined whether rumination and certainty about pessimistic future-event predictions (P-Certainty) would mediate the relation between lifetime suicide attempt history and future suicidal ideation. Young adults, ages 18–25 (N = 143), with a suicide attempt history (n = 32) or no previous suicide attempt history (n = 111) at baseline, were followed up 2–3 years later and completed measures of rumination, depressive symptoms, hopelessness, suicidal ideation, and pessimistic future-event certainty. Lifetime suicide attempts at baseline were associated with higher suicidal ideation at follow up, and this relation was mediated by rumination and P-Certainty. Suicide attempters may be vulnerable to later ideation due to higher levels of rumination and also certainty in their pessimistic future expectations.     

Predictive Validity of the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale for Short-Term Suicidal Behavior: A Danish Study of Adolescents at a High Risk of Suicide

Using the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS), we examined the predictive and incremental predictive validity of past-month suicidal behavior and ideation for short-term suicidal behavior among adolescents at high risk of suicide. The study was conducted in 2014 on a sample of 85 adolescents (90.6% females) who participated at follow-up (85.9%) out of the 99 (49.7%) baseline respondents. All adolescents were recruited from a specialized suicide-prevention clinic in Denmark. Through multivariate logistic regression analyses, we examined whether baseline suicidal behavior predicted subsequent suicidal behavior (actual attempts and suicidal behavior of any type, including preparatory acts, aborted, interrupted and actual attempts; mean follow-up of 80.8 days, SD = 52.4). Furthermore, we examined whether suicidal ideation severity and intensity incrementally predicted suicidal behavior at follow-up over and above suicidal behavior at baseline. Actual suicide attempts at baseline strongly predicted suicide attempts at follow-up. Baseline suicidal ideation severity and intensity did not significantly predict future actual attempts over and above baseline attempts. The suicidal ideation intensity items deterrents and duration were significant predictors of subsequent actual attempts after adjustment for baseline suicide attempts and suicidal behavior of any type, respectively. Suicidal ideation severity and intensity, and the intensity items frequency, duration and deterrents, all significantly predicted any type of suicidal behavior at follow-up, also after adjusting for baseline suicidal behavior. The present study points to an incremental predictive validity of the C-SSRS suicidal ideation scales for short-term suicidal behavior of any type among high-risk adolescents.     

Suicidality, depression, and substance abuse in adolescence

The authors assessed the occurrence of suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, major depression, and substance abuse in a sample of 424 apparently healthy college students 16-19 years old. Major depression and substance abuse were independent and interactive risk factors for suicidal ideation and for suicide attempts; substance abuse had a particularly deleterious effect on men. A prolonged desire to be dead was a more specific risk factor for a suicide attempt than was a thought of suicide. The authors conclude that suicidal ideation in the presence of major depression and/or substance abuse in older adolescents should call forth greater concern for lethality.     

Nonsuicidal self-injury,suicide ideation and suicide attempts in the National Guard

BackgroundAmong members of the National Guard, suicide rates are higher than age and sex matched civilian counterparts. Across many civilian samples, nonsuicidal self-injury has emerged as a particularly strong correlate of suicide risk. The current study describes the prevalence and correlates of NSSI and suicidal thoughts and behaviors among National Guard members.MethodsParticipants were 897 National Guard personnel recruited online who completed study measures anonymously.ResultsApproximately 6% of males and 14% of females reported a history of NSSI. Almost one third of the sample reported suicide ideation and 3% of men and 11% of women reported a suicide attempt. NSSI was strongly associated with a history of suicide ideation and attempts. Characteristics of NSSI were similar across men and women.DiscussionReliable access to effective interventions is essential for National Guard members in light of their risk for suicidal and nonsuicidal self-injurious behavior.     

Parental Mental Disorders and Suicidal Behavior in the Nigerian Survey of Mental Health and Well-Being

The objective of this study was to determine which parental mental disorders predict offspring suicidal behavior in a general adult population sample of a sub-Saharan African country. The World Health Organization Composite International Diagnostic Interview, version 3 was used to assess respondents' suicidal behaviors as well as psychopathology in their parents. The effects of parental disorders in predicting offspring suicide ideation and attempts were examined in a series of bivariate and multivariate models. Sections on suicidality were administered to the entire sample (n = 6752), but associations with parental psychopathology were examined in a subsample of respondents (n = 2143). Lifetime prevalence (95% confidence interval) of suicide ideation, plans, and attempts was 3.2% (1.4–6.5), 1.0% (0.4–7.5), and 0.7% (0.5–1.0) respectively. Parental panic disorder and substance abuse were associated with suicide ideation in offspring, but only parental panic disorder was linked to suicide attempts. Parental panic disorder predicted the onset and persistence of suicide ideation and attempts and also which persons with suicide ideation go on to make a suicide attempt. This study further affirms findings from previous studies of the role of disorders characterized by anxiety and impulse control in suicide attempts and as being a probable link in the transmission of suicidal behavior to offspring.     

The risk of adolescent suicide across patterns of drug use: a nationally representative study of high school students in the United States from 1999 to 2009

Objective

Substance use is associated with suicidal ideation, planning and attempts among adolescents, but it is unclear how this association varies across different types and number of substances. This study examined the association between patterns of substance use and suicidality among a nationally representative sample of high school students in the United States during the last decade.

Method

Data from the 2001 to 2009 Youth Risk Behavior Survey including 73,183 high school students were analyzed. Logistic regression analyses examined the association between lifetime use of ten common substances of abuse (alcohol, cocaine, ecstasy, hallucinogens, heroin, inhalants, marijuana, methamphetamines, steroids, and tobacco) and four measures of suicidality over the last year (suicidal ideation, suicide plan, suicide attempt, and severe suicide attempt requiring medical attention), controlling for potential confounders (socio-demographic variables, interpersonal violence, sexual intercourse, and symptoms of depression and eating disorder).

Results

Among the ten substances, univariate analysis demonstrates that adolescents reporting a history of heroin use have the strongest association with suicidal ideation, suicide plan, suicide attempts and severe suicide attempts in the last year (odds ratio = 5.0, 5.9, 12.0, and 23.6 compared to non-users), followed by users of methamphetamines (OR = 4.3–13.1) and steroids (OR = 3.7–11.8). Cocaine, ecstasy, hallucinogens and inhalants had a moderate association with suicidality (OR = 3.1–10.8). Users of marijuana, alcohol and tobacco also had an increased odds ratio of suicidality (OR = 1.9–5.2). The association between each of ten substances and the four measures of suicidality remained significant with multivariate analysis controlling for multiple confounders (p < 0.05), except for the association between alcohol use and severe suicide attempts. The seven illicit substances had a stronger association with severe suicide attempts as compared to all other confounding risk factors except depression. The number of substances used had a graded relationship to suicidality.

Conclusions

Substance abuse is a strong risk factor for suicidal thoughts and behaviors among American high school students, with the strength of this relationship dramatically increasing with particular illicit drugs and a higher number of substances. The findings reinforce the importance of routine screening for substance abuse in the assessment of adolescent suicide risk.     

The relationship between childhood physical abuse and suicidality among depressed women: results from a community sample

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine the distribution and determinants of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts in a community sample of women with major depressive disorder. Variables of interest included childhood physical abuse, individual and familial psychiatric history, and sociodemographic factors. METHOD: Women (age 15 to 64 years) from a community sample who met criteria for major depressive disorder (lifetime prevalence) (N=347) were assessed with a modified version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Childhood physical abuse history was collected through a self-administered questionnaire. RESULTS: Approximately one-quarter (23.9%, N=83) of the women with major depressive disorder reported that they had made a suicide attempt, and more than half (55.6%, N=193) had experienced suicidal ideation. A history of suicide attempt was most strongly related to the number of comorbid psychiatric disorders (odds ratio=2.04, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.21-3.43). Suicidal ideation was most strongly associated with a history of childhood physical abuse (odds ratio=2.77, 95% CI=1.26-6.12). CONCLUSIONS: Suicidal ideation and suicide attempts were reported frequently by women with a history of major depressive disorder. Correlates for suicide attempts showed some differences from those for ideation. This finding is of clinical importance, since it relates to the identification of individuals at risk for suicidal behavior.     

Asthma and suicide behaviors: results from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III)

Asthma and suicide attempts are leading causes of morbidity and mortality among adults in the United States. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between asthma and suicidal ideation and suicide attempt among adults in the United States, and to examine whether timing of asthma, mood disorders, poverty, allergies, cigarette smoking and sex differences confound these relationships. Data were drawn from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III), a representative sample of adults (N = 6584) in the United States. Logistic regression analyses were used to examine the relationships between current and former asthma and suicidal ideation and suicide attempt, adjusting for demographics, poverty, smoking, allergies and mood disorders. Current asthma is significantly associated with an increased likelihood of suicidal ideation (OR: 1.77, CI: 1.11, 2.84) and suicide attempt (OR: 3.26, CI: 1.97, 5.39), after adjusting for mood disorders, smoking, poverty and demographics. There does not appear to be a significant relationship between former asthma and suicidal ideation or suicide attempt. These findings confirm and extend previous evidence by showing that the link between asthma and suicide-related outcomes is evident among adults in a representative sample and that this relationship persists after adjusting for a range of variables. This study may provide an empiric foundation for including asthma in the clinical assessment of suicide risk.