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Are factors associated with suicidal ideation true risk factors?

A 3-year prospective follow-up study in a general population

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Abstract

Background

Adverse life events or the commencement of adverse lifestyles associate with suicidal ideation, but most associations only have been identified in cross-sectional studies. More information is needed about whether they are true risk factors and independently predict the development of suicidal ideation.

Method

A sample of the general population from Eastern Finland (n = 1,339) was followed-up for three-years with baseline and two follow-up assessments using postal questionnaires. The main adverse life events and changes in lifestyles were screened at baseline and on one- and three-year follow-up. The Beck Depression Inventory was used to assess the level of depression and the presence of suicidal ideation.

Results

Suicidal ideation was common in the sample (annual incidence 4.3%). At baseline it associated with a cluster of adverse life events and lifestyles, as well as depression. Nevertheless, only the Beck Depression Inventory score on 3-year follow-up (OR 1.33, 95% CI 1.22–1.45) and the onset of daily smoking during the follow-up period (OR 5.38, 95% CI 1.41–20.62) independently predicted the presence of suicidal ideation on 3-year follow-up among those who had been non-suicidal at baseline and on 1-year follow-up.

Conclusion

Depressive mood appears to be a necessary precondition for the occurrence of suicidal ideation even after adverse life events.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. of Psychiatry, Kuopio University Hospital, P.O. Box 1777, 70211, Kuopio, Finland

    Jukka Hintikka, Heli Koivumaa-Honkanen, Soili Marianne Lehto, Tommi Tolmunen, Kirsi Honkalampi, Kaisa Haatainen & Heimo Viinamäki

  2. Institute of Clinical Medicine, The University of Kuopio, Kuopio, Finland

    Jukka Hintikka & Heimo Viinamäki

  3. Dept. of Psychiatry, The University of Oulu and Lapland Hospital District, Rovaniemi, Finland

    Heli Koivumaa-Honkanen

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  1. Jukka Hintikka
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  2. Heli Koivumaa-Honkanen
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  3. Soili Marianne Lehto
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  5. Kirsi Honkalampi
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  7. Heimo Viinamäki
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Hintikka, J., Koivumaa-Honkanen, H., Lehto, S.M. et al. Are factors associated with suicidal ideation true risk factors?. Soc Psychiat Epidemiol 44, 29–33 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-008-0401-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-008-0401-6

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