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Suicidal ideation and attempts in patients with stroke: a population-based study

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Abstract

Stroke is known to be associated with an increase in the risk for suicide. However, there are very few population-based studies investigating the risk of suicidal ideation and attempts in patients with stroke. The purpose of this study was to compare the risk of suicidal ideation and attempts between patients with stroke and population without stroke using nationwide survey data. Individual-level data were obtained from 228,735 participants (4560 with stroke and 224,175 without stroke) of the 2013 Korean Community Health Survey. Demographic characteristics, socioeconomic status, physical health status, and mental health status were compared between patients with stroke and population without stroke. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to investigate the independent effects of the stroke on suicidal ideation and attempts. Stroke patients had more depressive mood (12.6 %) than population without stroke (5.7 %, p < 0.001). Stroke patients experienced more suicidal ideation (24.4 %) and attempts (1.3 %) than population without stroke (9.8 and 0.4 %, respectively; both p < 0.001). Stroke was found to increase the risk for suicidal ideation (OR 1.65, 95 % CI 1.52–1.79) and suicidal attempts (OR 1.64, 95 % CI 1.21–2.22), adjusting for demographics, socioeconomic factors, and physical health and mental health factors. We found that stroke increased the risk for suicidal ideation and attempts, independent of other factors that are known to be associated with suicidality, suggesting that stroke per se may be an independent risk factor for suicidality.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by research fund of Catholic Kwandong University International St. Mary`s Hospital (CKURF-0005).

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    Authors and Affiliations

    1. Department of Internal Medicine, International St. Mary’s Hospital, Catholic Kwandong University College of Medicine, Incheon, Republic of Korea

      Jae Ho Chung

    2. Department of Neurology, Korea University Guro Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea

      Jung Bin Kim & Ji Hyun Kim

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    1. Jae Ho Chung
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    2. Jung Bin Kim
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    Correspondence to Ji Hyun Kim.

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    The author declares no conflict of interest.

    Ethical standards

    This study was approved by the institutional review board at the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2013-06EXP-01-3C) and has, therefore, been performed in accordance with the ethical standards laid down in the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki. Written informed consent was obtained from all subjects prior to their inclusion in this study.

    Additional information

    J. H. Chung and J. B. Kim contributed equally to this work.

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    Chung, J.H., Kim, J.B. & Kim, J.H. Suicidal ideation and attempts in patients with stroke: a population-based study. J Neurol 263, 2032–2038 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-016-8231-z

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    • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-016-8231-z

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