Gregory Armstrong1, Tilahun Haregu1, Eric D Caine2, Jesse T Young3,4,5,6, Matthew J Spittal7, Anthony F Jorm7. 1. Nossal Institute for Global Health, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia. 2. Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA. 3. Justice Health Unit, Centre for Health Equity, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia. 4. Centre for Adolescent Health, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia. 5. School of Population and Global Health, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia. 6. National Drug Research Institute, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia. 7. Centre for Mental Health, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: We aimed to examine whether suicidal thoughts and behaviour were independently associated with a wide range of health and social risk behaviours. METHODS: We conducted cross-sectional analyses of data collected from 13,763 adult males who participated in The Australian Longitudinal Study on Male Health. We fit generalised linear models to estimate the relative risk of engaging in a range of health and social risk behaviours across several domains by suicidal thoughts and behaviour status. RESULTS: Men with recent suicidal ideation (relative risk range, 1.10-5.25) and lifetime suicide attempts (relative risk range, 1.10-7.65) had a higher risk of engaging in a broad range of health and social risk behaviours. The associations between suicidal thoughts and behaviour and health and social risk behaviours were typically independent of socio-demographics and in many cases were also independent of depressive symptoms. CONCLUSION: Suicidal thoughts and behaviour overlaps with increased risk of engagement in a wide range of health and social risk behaviours, indicating the need for an alignment of broader public health interventions within clinical and community-based suicide prevention activities. The experience of suicidality may be an important catalyst for a broader psychosocial conversation and assessment of health and social risk behaviours, some of which may be modifiable. These behaviours may not carry an imminent risk of premature death, such as from suicide, but they carry profound health and social consequences if left unaddressed.
OBJECTIVE: We aimed to examine whether suicidal thoughts and behaviour were independently associated with a wide range of health and social risk behaviours. METHODS: We conducted cross-sectional analyses of data collected from 13,763 adult males who participated in The Australian Longitudinal Study on Male Health. We fit generalised linear models to estimate the relative risk of engaging in a range of health and social risk behaviours across several domains by suicidal thoughts and behaviour status. RESULTS:Men with recent suicidal ideation (relative risk range, 1.10-5.25) and lifetime suicide attempts (relative risk range, 1.10-7.65) had a higher risk of engaging in a broad range of health and social risk behaviours. The associations between suicidal thoughts and behaviour and health and social risk behaviours were typically independent of socio-demographics and in many cases were also independent of depressive symptoms. CONCLUSION: Suicidal thoughts and behaviour overlaps with increased risk of engagement in a wide range of health and social risk behaviours, indicating the need for an alignment of broader public health interventions within clinical and community-based suicide prevention activities. The experience of suicidality may be an important catalyst for a broader psychosocial conversation and assessment of health and social risk behaviours, some of which may be modifiable. These behaviours may not carry an imminent risk of premature death, such as from suicide, but they carry profound health and social consequences if left unaddressed.
Entities:
Keywords:
Australia; Suicidal ideation; health risk behaviours; social risk behaviours; suicidal behaviour