Smoking and suicidal behaviors in the National Comorbidity Survey: Replication.
Controversy exists about the role of mental disorders in the consistently documented association between smoking and suicidal behavior. This controversy is addressed here with data from the nationally representative National Comorbidity Survey-Replication (NCS-R). Assessments were made of 12-month smoking, suicidal behaviors (ideation, plans, attempts), and DSM-IV disorders (anxiety, mood, impulse-control, and substance use disorders). Statistically significant odds ratios (2.9-3.1) were found between 12-month smoking and 12-month suicidal behaviors. However, the associations of smoking with the outcomes became insignificant with controls for DSM-IV mental disorders. Although clear adjudication among contending hypotheses about causal mechanisms cannot be made from the cross-sectional NCS-R data, the results make it clear that future research on smoking and suicidal behaviors should focus more centrally than previous research on mental disorders either as common causes, markers, or mediators.
Kessler
Ronald C
RC
Department of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA. kessler@hcp.med.harvard.edu
Berglund
Patricia A
PA
Borges
Guilherme
G
Castilla-Puentes
Ruby C
RC
Glantz
Meyer D
MD
Jaeger
Savina A
SA
Merikangas
Kathleen R
KR
Nock
Matthew K
MK
Russo
Leo J
LJ
Stang
Paul E
PE
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D015233:Models, Statistical; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology