Physical Correlates of Suicidal Thinking and Behavior

Physical illnesses have been associated with increased rates of depression and, in some instances, with increased risk for suicidal thinking, attempts, and outcomes. Two recent reports on large populations add to our understanding of these associations.

Using data on 37,915 individuals in stratified samples from WHO surveys of 14 countries, Scott and colleagues analyzed temporal relations between the lifetime presence of 13 physical conditions, mental disorders, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Most physical conditions were associated with increased risk for first-onset suicidal ideation after adjustment for demographics, other physical conditions, and mental disorders. The highest rates (odds ratios, 1.5–2.2) were subsequent to diagnose…