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Suicide attempt in young people: a signal for long-term health care and social needs.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Goldman-Mellor, SJ; Caspi, A; Harrington, H; Hogan, S; Nada-Raja, S; Poulton, R; Moffitt, TE
Published in: JAMA psychiatry
February 2014

Suicidal behavior has increased since the onset of the global recession, a trend that may have long-term health and social implications.To test whether suicide attempts among young people signal increased risk for later poor health and social functioning above and beyond a preexisting psychiatric disorder.We followed up a cohort of young people and assessed multiple aspects of their health and social functioning as they approached midlife. Outcomes among individuals who had self-reported a suicide attempt up through age 24 years (young suicide attempters) were compared with those who reported no attempt through age 24 years (nonattempters). Psychiatric history and social class were controlled for.The population-representative Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study, which involved 1037 birth cohort members comprising 91 young suicide attempters and 946 nonattempters, 95% of whom were followed up to age 38 years.Outcomes were selected to represent significant individual and societal costs: mental health, physical health, harm toward others, and need for support.As adults approaching midlife, young suicide attempters were significantly more likely to have persistent mental health problems (eg, depression, substance dependence, and additional suicide attempts) compared with nonattempters. They were also more likely to have physical health problems (eg, metabolic syndrome and elevated inflammation). They engaged in more violence (eg, violent crime and intimate partner abuse) and needed more social support (eg, long-term welfare receipt and unemployment). Furthermore, they reported being lonelier and less satisfied with their lives. These associations remained after adjustment for youth psychiatric diagnoses and social class.Many young suicide attempters remain vulnerable to costly health and social problems into midlife. As rates of suicidal behavior rise with the continuing global recession, additional suicide prevention efforts and long-term monitoring and after-care services are needed.

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Published In

JAMA psychiatry

DOI

EISSN

2168-6238

ISSN

2168-622X

Publication Date

February 2014

Volume

71

Issue

2

Start / End Page

119 / 127

Related Subject Headings

  • Young Adult
  • Violence
  • Suicide, Attempted
  • Social Support
  • Personal Satisfaction
  • New Zealand
  • Mental Health Services
  • Mental Disorders
  • Male
  • Long-Term Care
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
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Goldman-Mellor, S. J., Caspi, A., Harrington, H., Hogan, S., Nada-Raja, S., Poulton, R., & Moffitt, T. E. (2014). Suicide attempt in young people: a signal for long-term health care and social needs. JAMA Psychiatry, 71(2), 119–127. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2013.2803
Goldman-Mellor, Sidra J., Avshalom Caspi, Honalee Harrington, Sean Hogan, Shyamala Nada-Raja, Richie Poulton, and Terrie E. Moffitt. “Suicide attempt in young people: a signal for long-term health care and social needs.JAMA Psychiatry 71, no. 2 (February 2014): 119–27. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2013.2803.
Goldman-Mellor SJ, Caspi A, Harrington H, Hogan S, Nada-Raja S, Poulton R, et al. Suicide attempt in young people: a signal for long-term health care and social needs. JAMA psychiatry. 2014 Feb;71(2):119–27.
Goldman-Mellor, Sidra J., et al. “Suicide attempt in young people: a signal for long-term health care and social needs.JAMA Psychiatry, vol. 71, no. 2, Feb. 2014, pp. 119–27. Epmc, doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2013.2803.
Goldman-Mellor SJ, Caspi A, Harrington H, Hogan S, Nada-Raja S, Poulton R, Moffitt TE. Suicide attempt in young people: a signal for long-term health care and social needs. JAMA psychiatry. 2014 Feb;71(2):119–127.

Published In

JAMA psychiatry

DOI

EISSN

2168-6238

ISSN

2168-622X

Publication Date

February 2014

Volume

71

Issue

2

Start / End Page

119 / 127

Related Subject Headings

  • Young Adult
  • Violence
  • Suicide, Attempted
  • Social Support
  • Personal Satisfaction
  • New Zealand
  • Mental Health Services
  • Mental Disorders
  • Male
  • Long-Term Care