Suicidal ideation, self-harm and attempted suicide: results from the British psychiatric morbidity survey 2000.
OBJECTIVE
To examine relationships between suicidal ideation, self-harm, and suicide attempts, including the timing of the phenomena.


METHODS
The British National Psychiatric Morbidity Survey (NPMS) 2000, a randomised cross-sectional survey of the British population (n=8,580), included detailed questions about suicidal phenomena.


RESULTS
Suicidal phenomena were common in the survey population: a fifth had experienced tedium vitae, and nearly one in six had had death wishes or considered suicide. 4.4% of the study population had attempted suicide at some time. The relationships between individual elements of suicidality, though not absolute, were strong. The relationships tended to be hierarchical. The results suggested that suicidal thinking represents a strong indicator of vulnerability to suicidal acts, less so to self-harm. Although suicidal phenomena were more common in women, the relationship of the different elements were not affected by gender.


CONCLUSIONS
Studies in non clinical populations allow full appreciation of the nature and burden of suicidality. The topic of suicide is sensitive, so there may have been under-reporting, although the level of missing data was around 0.1%. Nevertheless, the sample was large and closely representative of the whole British populace.


CONCLUSIONS
Suicidality is common in the British population. The strong relationships between elements of suicidality are clinically important.
Bebbington
P E
PE
Department of Mental Health Sciences, University College London, Riding House Street, London, UK. P.Bebbington@ucl.ac.uk
Minot
S
S
Cooper
C
C
Dennis
M
M
Meltzer
H
H
Jenkins
R
R
Brugha
T
T
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000453:epidemiology*; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology