title: Insomnia and hypnotic medications are associated with suicidal ideation in a community population.
abstract: Suicidal ideation (SI), a significant predictor of suicide, is associated with sleep disturbance, which is seldom assessed using stringent diagnostic criteria and validated sleep instruments in community samples. Cross-sectional data, including sleep diaries and validated instruments, from 767 community adults were used to identify variables associated with SI and subsequently entered into a regression model to predict SI. Suicidal ideation was endorsed by 9.3% of the sample. This group differed from non-ideators on several variables, but only insomnia diagnosis, depression severity, and hypnotic medication use predicted SI. Findings confirm an association of insomnia with SI using stringent criteria and controlling for depression. If treating insomnia is a conceivable pathway to reduce SI, the apparent risk posed by hypnotics may limit treatment options.
authors.affiliation: a Center of Excellence for Suicide Prevention, VA Medical Center , Canandaigua , New York , USA.
authors.forename: Wilfred R
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Pigeon
authors.forename: Julie A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Woosley
authors.forename: Kenneth L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Lichstein
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives
keywords: insomnia; sedative-hypnotics; sleep; sleep disturbance; suicidal ideation; suicide