Sun Jae Jung1, So Mi J Cho2, Hyeon Chang Kim3. 1. Department of Preventive Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Yonsei-ro 50-1, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA, USA. 2. Department of Preventive Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Yonsei-ro 50-1, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea. 3. Department of Preventive Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Yonsei-ro 50-1, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: hckim@yuhs.ac.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: The association of suicide with the use of oral contraceptives (OC) is unknown in the Asian population. We aimed to evaluate the association of OC use and suicidal behavior in a nationally representative population of Korean women. METHOD: Of the 44,501 women who participated in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) (2007-2016), 27,067 women aged 20 years or older who had completed information on OC use and suicidal behavior were included. Women with a history of cancer were excluded. Compared to non-users of OC, odds ratios (ORs) for suicide attempt/ideation were calculated using a multivariable logistic regression among OC users, with testing of the interaction term of OC use and history of depression. We also conducted a stratified analysis by history of depression. RESULTS: A total of 4,067 women (14.0%) reported they had suicide ideations or had attempted suicide, respectively. OC use was associated with an increased prevalence of suicidality (OR = 1.13, 95% CI 1.00-1.24) after adjustments for age, demographic factors, age of menarche, and lifestyle behaviors. When stratified by history of depression diagnosis, ORs linearly increased as the total duration of OC use lengthened among women with a history of depression; however, women without a history of depression showed peaked OR at 4- to 12-month use. CONCLUSION: There is an increased association between OC use and suicidality and the pattern of the relationship differs depending on whether there is a history of depression.
INTRODUCTION: The association of suicide with the use of oral contraceptives (OC) is unknown in the Asian population. We aimed to evaluate the association of OC use and suicidal behavior in a nationally representative population of Korean women. METHOD: Of the 44,501 women who participated in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) (2007-2016), 27,067 women aged 20 years or older who had completed information on OC use and suicidal behavior were included. Women with a history of cancer were excluded. Compared to non-users of OC, odds ratios (ORs) for suicide attempt/ideation were calculated using a multivariable logistic regression among OC users, with testing of the interaction term of OC use and history of depression. We also conducted a stratified analysis by history of depression. RESULTS: A total of 4,067 women (14.0%) reported they had suicide ideations or had attempted suicide, respectively. OC use was associated with an increased prevalence of suicidality (OR = 1.13, 95% CI 1.00-1.24) after adjustments for age, demographic factors, age of menarche, and lifestyle behaviors. When stratified by history of depression diagnosis, ORs linearly increased as the total duration of OC use lengthened among women with a history of depression; however, women without a history of depression showed peaked OR at 4- to 12-month use. CONCLUSION: There is an increased association between OC use and suicidality and the pattern of the relationship differs depending on whether there is a history of depression.