[Suicidal attempts within the set of young adult parents of children observed in ELSPAC study].
BACKGROUND
Though effective medications for the treatment of mood disorders have been developed, panic anxiety, major depression and other psychiatric diseases, only small reduction in suicide rates has been achieved during last four decades. Further epidemiological, clinical and experimental studies are initiated to support both prevention and treatment of suicidal behaviour.


RESULTS
In ELSPAC study, the data of 3148 men and 3637 women--parents of children aged 3 years--were analysed with the aim to detect possible determinants of psychiatric disorders. These data included both information about the parents' events and health after the child's delivery and about parents' history during their own childhood. According to their self-reported suicidal attempts during last 18 months, parents were divided into groups A (with positive history) and B (no attempt). Statistical significance was evaluated by the SPSS programme (Pearson's chi-square test, linear-by-linear associations, ANOVA). 23 persons (0,3%) overall self-reported the suicidal attempt during last 18 months: 18 men (0,6%) and 5 women (0,1%). Among them, 2 men and 4 women repeated the attempt. In the same cohort, the frequency of suicidal attempts dropped by 50% among women and rose by 125% among men compared to the previous observation. In the personal history, the information both about emotional and physical deprivation during childhood was more frequent among persons with suicidal attempts. On the other hand, partners' characteristics as possible sources of daily stress situations were not different between groups. Men with suicidal attempts were significantly more often heavy smokers (smoking more that 20 cigarettes daily) and alcohol abusers. Surprisingly, the level of satisfaction with family life was significantly higher in both sex groups with suicidal attempts.


CONCLUSIONS
Although majority of respondents in all groups reported their health status as good, more detailed questions showed significantly higher frequency of different psychiatric disorders and moods in the groups of persons with suicidal attempts: irritation, exhaustion among men, anxiety, depression, dejection among women. Also subjective evaluation of parents' good health is not in correspondence with the relative high number of hospitalization (10% men and 40% women with suicidal attempts) and frequent using of psychoactive drugs. The psychic health of ELSPAC parents will be assessed in further prospective measurements.
Kukla
L
L
Výzkumné pracoviste preventivní a sociální pediatrie LF MU, Brno. lubomir.kukla@tiscali.cz
Hrubá
D
D
Tyrlík
M
M
D000328:Adult; D002675:Child, Preschool; D018153:Czech Republic / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008393:Marriage / Q000523:psychology; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data