title: Suicidal Ideation Versus Hopelessness/Helplessness in Healthy Individuals and in Patients with Benign Breast Disease and Breast Cancer: A Prospective Case-control Study in Finland.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The relation between suicidal ideation versus hopelessness/helplessness in healthy study subjects (HSS) and in patients with benign breast disease (BBD) and breast cancer (BC) has not been compared to date in a prospective study. We, therefore, investigated suicidal ideation versus hopelessness/helplessness in 115 patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the Kuopio Breast Cancer Study, 115 women with breast symptoms were evaluated for hopelessness and helplessness versus suicidal/pessimistic thoughts before any diagnostic procedures were carried-out.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the self-rating score (SRS), hopelessness and the helplessness versus pessimistic thoughts were significantly correlated in the HSS, BBD and BC groups. In the SRS, the weighted kappa-values for hopelessness versus pessimistic thoughts in the BBD group were also statistically significant. There was also a significant positive correlation in the examiner-rating score (ERS) in the hopelessness versus pessimistic thoughts in the HSS, BBD and BC groups, as well as in the ERS, in the helplessness versus pessimistic thoughts in the HSS and BBD groups. In SRS, the hopelessness and the helplessness versus suicidal thoughts were significantly correlated in the HSS, BBD and BC groups. There was also a significant positive correlation in the ERS in the hopelessness versus suicidal thoughts in the HSS, BBD and BC groups, as well as in the ERS, in the helplessness versus suicidal thoughts in the BBD group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A new finding with clinical relevance in the present work is the agreement between hopelessness/helplessness versus suicidal/pessimistic thoughts in the self-rating and examiner-rating. In the breast cancer diagnostic Unit, the identification of suicidal ideation is essential in suicide prevention and it is important to assess and treat depression even though a subject reports little suicidal ideation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio Campus, Kuopio, Finland Department of Surgery, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland matti.eskelinen@kuh.fi.
authors.forename: Matti
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eskelinen
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio Campus, Kuopio, Finland.
authors.forename: Riika
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Korhonen
authors.affiliation: Science Service Center, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland.
authors.forename: Tuomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Selander
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio Campus, Kuopio, Finland.
authors.forename: Paula
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ollonen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001941:Breast Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005348:Fibrocystic Breast Disease / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology*; D005387:Finland; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D059020:Suicidal Ideation
keywords: Hopelessness; breast disease; helplessness; suicidal ideation