Method of assessment determines prevalence of suicidal ideation among patients with depression

BackgroundHow different ways of assessing suicidal ideation influence its prevalence, correlates and predictive validity among patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) remains unclear.MethodsWithin the Vantaa Primary Care Depression Study (PC-VDS, 91 patients) and the Vantaa Depression Study (VDS, 153 psychiatric out-and 41 inpatients), suicidal ideation was assessed with the Scale for Suicidal Ideation (SSI), Hamilton Depression Scale (HAM-D) item 3 and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) item 9, and by asking whether patients had seriously considered suicide during the episode. The positive and negative predictive values (PPV, NPV) for suicide attempts during a six-month follow-up were investigated.ResultsDepending on the setting, 56–88% of patients had suicidal ideation in some of the assessments, but only 8–44% in all of them. Agreement ranged from negligible to moderate (kappa 0.06–0.64), being lowest among primary care patients. The correlates of suicidal ideation overlapped. No assessment had optimal sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV. Nevertheless, PPVs ranged up to 43%.ConclusionsWhich MDD patient is classified as having suicidal ideation depends strongly on the method of assessment, with the greatest variation likely in primary care. Differences in assessments may cause inconsistency in risk factors. Predicting suicide attempts is difficult, but not futile.     

Combined PTSD and depressive symptoms interact with post-deployment social support to predict suicidal ideation in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans

Rates of suicide are alarmingly high in military and veteran samples. Suicide rates are particularly elevated among those with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression, which share overlapping symptoms and frequently co-occur. Identifying and confirming factors that reduce, suicide risk among veterans with PTSD and depression is imperative. The proposed study evaluated, whether post-deployment social support moderated the influence of PTSD–depression symptoms on, suicidal ideation among Veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan using state of the art clinical, diagnostic interviews and self-report measures. Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) Veterans (n=145) were invited to, participate in a study evaluating returning Veterans? experiences. As predicted, PTSD–depression, symptoms had almost no effect on suicidal ideation (SI) when post-deployment social support was high; however, when, post-deployment social support was low, PTSD–depression symptoms were positively associated with, SI. Thus, social support may be an important factor for clinicians to assess in the context of PTSD and, depressive symptoms. Future research is needed to prospectively examine the inter-relationship, between PTSD/depression and social support on suicidal risk, as well as whether interventions to, improve social support result in decreased suicidality.     

抑郁症状在海军官兵睡眠与自杀意念间的中介作用

目的 探讨抑郁症状在海军官兵睡眠与自杀意念间的中介作用.方法 采用随机抽样和集体测验方法,使用匹兹堡睡眠质量指数(PSQI)量表、抑郁自评量表(SDS)和自杀意念自评量表(SIOSS)对849名海军官兵进行调查,研究海军官兵睡眠、抑郁症状、自杀意念三者之间的关系及检验抑郁症状在睡眠与自杀意念间的中介效应.结果 发放问卷...     

综合干预对某部军事人员自杀的影响

目的探讨某部军事人员自杀综合干预措施的效果。方法对某部实施综合性自杀干预措施,使用相同的调查工具和调查流程,对2001年与2004年同一样本人群的自杀率及其相关因素进行比较及评估。结果2004年与2001年某部的总自杀率分别为1．12‰和4．63‰,自杀死亡率分别为0和0．13‰,自杀未遂率分别为0．14％和0．66％,自杀行为发生率分别为0．28‰和1．32‰,自杀意念发生率分别为0．70‰和2．51‰,均有显著性差异;综合干预后负性生活事件导致的自杀率显著下降。结论自杀综合干预措施效果明显。