title: Loneliness, common mental disorders and suicidal behavior: Findings from a general population survey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Loneliness has been linked to an increased risk of engaging in suicidal behavior. To date, however, there has been comparatively little research on this in the general adult population, or on the role of common mental disorders (CMDs) in this association. The current study examined these associations using nationally representative data from England.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data came from the Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey 2007. Information was obtained from 7403 household residents aged ≥16 years on perceived loneliness and lifetime and past 12-month suicide ideation and attempts. The Clinical Interview Schedule Revised (CIS-R) was used to assess six forms of CMD. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine these associations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Loneliness was associated with suicidal behavior. Although adjusting for CMDs attenuated associations, higher levels of loneliness were still significantly associated with suicidal ideation and suicide attempts with odds ratios (OR) for those in the most severe loneliness category ranging from 3.45 (lifetime suicide attempt) to 17.37 (past 12-month suicide attempt). Further analyses showed that ORs for suicidal behavior were similar for individuals who were lonely without CMDs, and for those respondents with CMDs who were not lonely. Lonely individuals with CMDs had especially elevated odds for suicidal ideation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study used cross-sectional data and a single-item measure to obtain information on loneliness.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Loneliness is associated with suicidal behavior in the general adult population. This highlights the importance of efforts to reduce loneliness in order to mitigate its harmful effects on health and well-being.
authors.affiliation: The Stockholm Center for Health and Social Change (SCOHOST), Södertörn University, Huddinge 141 89, Sweden; Department of Human Ecology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan. Electronic address: andrew.stickley@sh.se.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stickley
authors.affiliation: Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu, Universitat de Barcelona, Fundació Sant Joan de Déu, Dr Antoni Pujadas, 42, Sant Boi de Llobregat, Barcelona 08830, Spain; Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental, CIBERSAM, Monforte de Lemos 3-5 Pabellón 11, 28029 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Ai
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Koyanagi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D016015:Logistic Models; D008132:Loneliness / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012307:Risk Factors; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
keywords: Common mental disorders; Lonely; Suicidal ideation; Suicide attempt