EPIDEMIOLOGY I
The 3 most common methods of successful suicide.
What are:
Poison ingestion
Hanging
Firearms?
Firearms lead in the U.S. - 51%
These 2 countries account for 50% of successful suicides worldwide.
Hint: not the U.S.
What are China and India?
The strongest single risk factor predictive of successful suicide
What is a history of prior suicide attempts?
There are about 40 nonfatal suicide attempts for every completed suicide
T or F
Asking about suicide can initiate suicidal thoughts or actions.
What is False?
Asking about suicide does not increase suicidal ideation
This legal doctrine prevents physicians from notifying a patient's family and support system in order to keep a patient safe when the patient is actively suicidal.
What is - there is no such doctrine?
Physician-patient privilege does not apply when the patient is at imminent risk of harm to themselves.
Of the following age groups, the highest rate of successful suicide deaths for men:
15-24
25-44
45-64
65-74
75 or older
What is 75 or older?
Among individuals who have EVER had suicidal ideation, this is the probability of ever actually attempting suicide
(within 10 percentage points)
What is 30% - of individuals who have ever had suicidal ideation, attempt suicide?
T or F
Married individuals have a higher rate of suicide compared to single people
What is False?
The risk of suicide in single, divorced or widowed people is twice the rate as in married people.
Marriage may increase social integration and meaning within one's life.
T or F
Having a patient with suicidal ideation contract for safety reduces their risk of suicide
What is False
There is no evidence that a "no harm contract" reduces suicide.
This drug - alone - has been shown to decrease the risk of suicide in patients with monopolar or bipolar depression.
What is Lithium?
Lithium can prevent the recurrence of acute mood episodes ad may reduce aggression and impulsivity.
Of the following age groups, the highest rate of successful suicide deaths for women:
15-24
25-44
45-64
65-74
75 or older
What is 45-64?
Male to female ratio of mortality from suicide
What is 2:1?
The number of physicians who commit suicide annually in the U.S.
What is 400?
Anesthesiologists have the highest rate among physicians
The recommendation of the USPSTF regarding screening for suicidal ideation among adults.
What is I ?
There is insufficient evidence to determine benefits of screening the general population.
T or F
After a suicide attempt, Psychotherapy helps prevent subsequent attempts.
What is True?
Not only is death by suicide reduced in pts who receive Psychotherapy, but all-cause mortality is also improved.
T or F
Higher educational achievement increases the risk of successful suicide
What is False?
Patients with only HS-level education have 2-3 times the rate of successful suicide compared to patients with a college degree or more education.
This percentage of the adult U.S population attempted suicide in the past year
What is 0.6% (1% is close enough)?
T or F
The highest rates of suicide are found in rural, as opposed to urban areas.
What is True?
Large metropolitan areas - 13 per 100,000/year
Medium cities - 17 per 100,000
Rural - 20 per 100,000
The best standardized office-based scale to evaluate suicide risk
What is - there just isn't a good one?
No rating scale (PHQ9, Beck Hopelessness scale etc.) has been found to be particularly helpful.
So you have to ask.
For severely depressed and suicidal patients, this treatment modality provides a rapid, and likely more effective response than medications, which may be lifesaving.
What is electroconvulsive therapy?
The highest rates of successful suicide deaths are seen in these 2 racial/ethnic groups
What are:
American Indians/Alaska Natives,
and Whites?
(lowest rates are seen in Black ethnicity)
There are this many suicide attempts for every suicide death in the U.S.
What is 30?
T or F
Pregnancy decreases the risk of suicide
What is True?
Pregnancy and parenthood are protective factors against suicide
T or F
Patients with suicidal ideation will usually tell their physician about their thoughts when asked
What is True?
T or F
A follow-up visit with a primary care provider within 7 days following hospital discharge after a suicide attempt reduces the rate of suicide during the 3 months after discharge.
What is True?
Bring your patient in for follow-up with you!