Unplanned versus planned suicide attempters, precipitants, methods, and an association with mental disorders in a Korea-based community sample.
BACKGROUND
Studies have consistently reported that a considerable proportion of suicidal attempts are unplanned. We have performed the first direct comparison between planned and unplanned attempts including associated methods and precipitants.


METHODS
A total of 6510 adults, who had been randomly selected through a one-person-per-household method, completed interviews (response rate 81.7%). All were interviewed using the K-CIDI and a questionnaire for suicide.


RESULTS
Two hundred and eight subjects reported a suicide attempt in their lifetime, one-third of which had been unplanned. These individuals exhibited a lower level of education; however, no significant differences were found with regard to age, gender, marital and economic status. Further, 84.0% of unplanned attempters experienced previous suicidal ideation, experiencing their first attempt 1.9 years before ideation. Additionally, 94.4% of unplanned attempters had precipitants for attempts such as familial conflict and it was also found that methods such as the use of chemical agents or falling were three times more common in unplanned than planned attempters. With respect to unplanned attempters, they exhibited a significant association with alcohol use disorder, major depressive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, and bipolar disorder. In particular, bipolar disorder was found to be 3.5 times higher in these individuals.


CONCLUSIONS
Results have revealed that unplanned suicide attempters experience suicidal ideation and precipitants prior to their attempt. Further, attempts were associated with affective and alcohol use disorders. Therefore, in order to reduce the number of suicidal attempts, it may be useful to evaluate suicidal ideation concurrent to the treatment of existing mental disorders.
Jeon
Hong Jin
HJ
Department of Psychiatry, Depression Center, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea.
Lee
Jun-Young
JY
Lee
Young Moon
YM
Hong
Jin Pyo
JP
Won
Seung-Hee
SH
Cho
Seong-Jin
SJ
Kim
Jin-Yeong
JY
Chang
Sung Man
SM
Lee
Hae Woo
HW
Cho
Maeng Je
MJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D001714:Bipolar Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D054541:Family Conflict / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007175:Impulsive Behavior / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D008722:Methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D012008:Recurrence; D056910:Republic of Korea; D012307:Risk Factors; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult