Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-jr42d Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-23T06:01:57.890Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The Role Of Alcohol Use Disorder And Alcohol Consumption In Suicide Attempts-A Secondary Analysis Of 1921 Suicide Attempts

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 April 2020

S. Boenisch ,
A. Bramesfeld ,
R. Mergl ,
I. Havers ,
D. Althaus ,
H. Lehfeld ,
G. Niklewski  and
U. Hegerl
S. Boenisch*
Affiliation:
Department of Mental Health, University of Leipzig, Semmelweisstr. 10, 04103Leipzig, Germany
A. Bramesfeld
Affiliation:
Department of Mental Health, University of Leipzig, Semmelweisstr. 10, 04103Leipzig, Germany
R. Mergl
Affiliation:
Department of Mental Health, University of Leipzig, Semmelweisstr. 10, 04103Leipzig, Germany
I. Havers
Affiliation:
Department of Mental Health, University of Leipzig, Semmelweisstr. 10, 04103Leipzig, Germany
D. Althaus
Affiliation:
Practice for Psychotherapy, Dachau, Germany
H. Lehfeld
Affiliation:
Hospital for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Nuremberg, Germany
G. Niklewski
Affiliation:
Hospital for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Nuremberg, Germany
U. Hegerl
Affiliation:
Department of Mental Health, University of Leipzig, Semmelweisstr. 10, 04103Leipzig, Germany
*
*Corresponding author. Tel.: +0049-(0)341-972412; fax: +0049-(0)341-9724539. E-mail address: Stefanie.Boenisch@medizin.uni-leipzig.de (S. Boenisch).
Get access

Abstract

Background

It is not known how characteristics of suicide attempts vary with different forms of alcohol involvement. The aim of this study is to clarify the role of alcohol use disorder and acute alcohol consumption in suicide attempts.

Methods

Data on 1921 suicide attempts was gathered in a major German city over a 5-year period. Suicide attempts were categorised according to a diagnosis of alcohol use disorder and acute alcohol consumption at the time of the attempt. Group comparisons and multinomial logistic regression were used for statistical analysis.

Results

In 331 suicide attempts (17%) an alcohol use disorder was diagnosed. Six hundred and twenty-two suicide attempts (32%) were committed with acute alcohol consumption. Suicide attempts by individuals with alcohol use disorder were more often committed by men, older individuals and as a recurrent attempt, independently of alcohol consumption at the time of the attempt. When alcohol was consumed in suicide attempts by individuals with alcohol use disorder, low-risk methods were used most often.

Conclusions

Individuals with a diagnosis of alcohol use disorder are a high-risk group for multiple suicide attempts and should be a target group for suicide prevention. Screening for suicidality should be a regular part of the clinical assessment in individuals with alcohol use disorder.

Keywords

Alcohol abuseSuicideEpidemiology
Type
Suicidology
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 25 , Issue 7 , November 2010 , pp. 414 - 420
Copyright
Copyright © Elsevier Masson SAS 2019

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Althaus, D., Niklewski, G., Schmidtke, A., Hegerl, U.Changes in the frequency of suicidal behaviour after a 2-year intervention campaign. Nervenarzt 78(3)2007 272–280. 282.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Beck, A.T., Steer, R.A.Clinical predictors of eventual suicide: A 5- to 10-year prospective study of suicide attempters. J Affect Disord 17(3)1989 203–209.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bernal, M., Haro, J.M., Bernert, S., Brugha, T., de Graaf, R., Bruffaerts, R.et al.Risk factors for suicidality in Europe: Results from the ESEMED study. J Affect Disord 101(1–3)2007 27–34.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bille-Brahe, U., Kerkhof, A., De Leo, D., Schmidtke, A., Crepet, P., Lonnqvist, J.et al.A repetition-prediction study of European parasuicide populations: A summary of the first report from part II of the WHO/EURO Multicentre Study on Parasuicide in co-operation with the EC concerted action on attempted suicide. Acta Psychiatr Scand 95(2)1997 81–86.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Borges, G., Benjet, C., Medina-Mora, M.E., Orozco, R., Nock, M.Suicide ideation, plan, and attempt in the Mexican adolescent mental health survey. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 47(1)2008 41–52.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Buri, C., von, B.B., Strik, W., Moggi, F.Predictors of attempted suicide among swiss patients with alcohol-use disorders. J Stud Alcohol Drugs 70(5)2009 668–674.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cherpitel, C.J., Borges, G.L., Wilcox, H.C.Acute alcohol use and suicidal behavior: A review of the literature. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 28(5 (Suppl))2004 18S–28S.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cuijpers, P.Examining the effects of prevention programs on the incidence of new cases of mental disorders: The lack of statistical power. Am J Psychiatry 160(8)2003 1385–1391.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Davis, L., Uezato, A., Newell, J.M., Frazier, E.Major depression and comorbid substance use disorders. Curr Opin Psychiatry 21(1)2008 14–18.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Driessen, M., Veltrup, C., Weber, J., John, U., Wetterling, T., Dilling, H.Psychiatric co-morbidity, suicidal behaviour and suicidal ideation in alcoholics seeking treatment. Addiction 93(6)1998 889–894.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Haukka, J., Suominen, K., Partonen, T., Lonnqvist, J.Determinants and outcomes of serious attempted suicide: A nationwide study in Finland, 1996–2003. Am J Epidemiol 167(10)2008 1155–1163.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hawton, K., Fagg, J., McKeown, S.P.Alcoholism, alcohol and attempted suicide. Alcohol Alcohol 24(1)1989 3–9.Google ScholarPubMed
Hegerl, U., Althaus, D., Schmidtke, A., Niklewski, G.The alliance against depression: 2-year evaluation of a community-based intervention to reduce suicidality. Psychol Med 36(9)2006 1225–1233.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hufford, M.R.Alcohol and suicidal behavior. Clin Psychol Rev 21(5)2001 797–811.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kolves, K., Varnik, A., Tooding, L.M., Wasserman, D.The role of alcohol in suicide: A case-control psychological autopsy study. Psychol Med 36(7)2006 923–930.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kraus, L., Augustin, R.Population survey on the consumption of psychoactive substances in the German adult population 2000. J Addict Res Pract 2001: 47((Suppl) 1).Google Scholar
Lejoyeux, M., Huet, F., Claudon, M., Fichelle, A., Casalino, E., Lequen, V.Characteristics of suicide attempts preceded by alcohol consumption. Arch Suicide Res 12(1)2008 30–38.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
McCloud, A., Barnaby, B., Omu, N., Drummond, C., Aboud, A.Relationship between alcohol use disorders and suicidality in a psychiatric population: In-patient prevalence study. Br J Psychiatry 2004; 184: 439–445.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pirkola, S.P., Isometsa, E.T., Heikkinen, M.E., Lonnqvist, J.K.Suicides of alcohol misusers and non-misusers in a nationwide population. Alcohol Alcohol 35(1)2000 70–75.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Roy, A.Aetiology of secondary depression in male alcoholics. Br J Psychiatry 169(6)1996 753–757.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Roy, A.Distal risk factors for suicidal behavior in alcoholics: Replications and new findings. J Affect Disord 77(3)2003 267–271.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Roy, A., Janal, M.N.Risk factors for suicide attempts among alcohol dependent patients. Arch Suicide Res 11(2)2007 211–217.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sher, L., Oquendo, M.A., Richardson-Vejlgaard, R., Makhija, N.M., Posner, K., Mann, J.J.et al.Effect of acute alcohol use on the lethality of suicide attempts in patients with mood disorders. J Psychiatr Res 43(10)2009 901–905.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Suokas, J., Lonnqvist, J.Suicide attempts in which alcohol is involved: A special group in general hospital emergency rooms. Acta Psychiatr Scand 91(1)1995 36–40.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Suominen, K., Isometsa, E., Henriksson, M., Ostamo, A., Lonnqvist, J.Hopelessness, impulsiveness and intent among suicide attempters with major depression, alcohol dependence, or both. Acta Psychiatr Scand 96(2)1997 142–149.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Suominen, K.H., Isometsa, E.T., Henriksson, M.M., Ostamo, A.I., Lonnqvist, J.K.Treatment received by alcohol-dependent suicide attempters. Acta Psychiatr Scand 99(3)1999 214–219.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Szanto, K., Kalmar, S., Hendin, H., Rihmer, Z., Mann, J.J.A suicide prevention program in a region with a very high suicide rate. Arch Gen Psychiatry 64(8)2007 914–920.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Waern, M.Alcohol dependence and misuse in elderly suicides. Alcohol Alcohol 38(3)2003 249–254.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Welsch, K., Sonntag, D.Statistical report for 2002 on treatment facilities for substance-abuse disorders in Germany. J Addict Res Pract 49((Suppl) 1)2002 7–41.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wojnar, M., Ilgen, M.A., Czyz, E., Strobbe, S., Klimkiewicz, A., Jakubczyk, A.et al.Impulsive and non-impulsive suicide attempts in patients treated for alcohol dependence. J Affect Disord 115(1–2)2009 131–139.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Submit a response

Comments

No Comments have been published for this article.