Burden of Physical Health Conditions Linked to Increased Risk of Suicide
July 07, 2017
According to a recent study, certain physical health conditions may be associated with an increased risk of suicide. Researchers looked at data from more than 2,500 individuals who died by suicide and compared them to a control group from the general population. Of the 19 physical health conditions investigated, 17 were linked to suicide risk, including back pain, diabetes, and heart disease. The conditions that had the strongest associations with suicide risk were traumatic brain injury, sleep disorders, and HIV/AIDS. Having more than one physical health condition also significantly increased risk. “Given that nearly every physical health condition was associated with suicide, widespread suicide prevention efforts in all health care settings seem warranted,” said Brian K. Ahmedani, lead investigator and behavioral health services research scientist at the Henry Ford Health System Center for Health Policy & Health Services Research.
Spark Extra! Read the study abstract.