Suicidal Behavior and Attitudes Among Medical Students in the United Arab Emirates

Crisis ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 116-123 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leena Amiri ◽  
Martin Voracek ◽  
Said Yousef ◽  
Alaa Galadari ◽  
Salem Yammahi ◽  
...  

Background: Few studies have investigated suicidal behavior and attitudes of medical students. We are not aware of any previous reports emerging from the Arab world. Aims: To investigate suicidal behavior and attitudes among medical students in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Method: The prevalence of suicidal ideation and attempts as well as attitudes toward suicide and reactions to a hypothetical suicidal friend were assessed using a self-report survey. Furthermore, the survey included the self-assessment of the current mood and religiosity, and socio-demographic information. Results: A group of 115 medical students (mean age 20.7 years, 59.1% female) participated in the survey. The prevalence of lifetime suicidal ideation was 17.5% and of suicide attempts 1.8%. In general, students showed very low acceptability of suicide, strong beliefs in the punishment after death, and highly endorsed communicating problems with parents. Moreover, high acceptance of and support for a suicidal friend were found. Sadness was associated with higher acceptability of suicide and fewer beliefs in punishment after death. Religiosity was associated with less acceptability of suicide, seeing suicide in context of mental illness, communicating problems with parents, and greater support for a suicidal friend. Conclusions: The prevalence of suicidal ideation and attempts among medical students in the UAE was in the lower range in international comparison. Negative attitudes toward suicide were accompanied by a strong support for a suicidal friend, and both were related to religiosity.

2019 ◽  
Vol 49 (16) ◽  
pp. 2789-2800 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher R. Hagan ◽  
Megan L. Rogers ◽  
Amy M. Brausch ◽  
Jennifer J. Muehlenkamp ◽  
Thomas E. Joiner

AbstractBackgroundInteroceptive deficits (ID) have been associated with non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and suicidal behavior in multiple studies. Many of these studies are limited in scope, and have not fully examined possible mechanisms explaining how ID affect suicidal behavior.MethodsThis study assesses how self-reported ID relate to suicide ideation and attempts in six distinct and geographically diverse samples of adults (n = 2706) and one sample of adolescents (n = 436). Participants responded to a variety of self-report questionnaires and interviews.ResultsContrary to our hypothesis, self-reported ID were only associated with suicidal ideation in two samples, one of which was the adolescent sample. Largely consistent with our predictions, self-reported ID exhibited an indirect effect on suicide attempts through versatility of NSSI in four of the five adult samples tested. Finally, the indirect effects of self-reported ID on suicide attempts through NSSI versatility did not act indirectly through behaviorally assessed pain tolerance.ConclusionsWe found that, in adults, self-reported ID are not associated with suicidal ideation, but are connected with a history of suicide attempts, through an indirect effect via NSSI. Our findings also indicate that the mechanism of action leading from self-reported ID to suicidal behavior may differ between adolescents and adults, and relate to suicidal behavior independent of pain tolerance. Clinical implications and future directions are discussed.


Crisis ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 60-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda Venta ◽  
Carla Sharp

Background: Identifying risk factors for suicide-related thoughts and behaviors (SRTB) is essential among adolescents in whom SRTB remain a leading cause of death. Although many risk factors have already been identified, influential theories now suggest that the domain of interpersonal relationships may play a critical role in the emergence of SRTB. Because attachment has long been seen as the foundation of interpersonal functioning, we suggest that attachment insecurity warrants attention as a risk factor for SRTB. Aims: This study sought to explore relations between attachment organization and suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, and self-harm in an inpatient adolescent sample, controlling for demographic and psychopathological covariates. Method: We recruited 194 adolescents from an inpatient unit and assigned them to one of four attachment groups (secure, preoccupied, dismissing, or disorganized attachment). Interview and self-report measures were used to create four variables reflecting the presence or absence of suicidal ideation in the last year, single lifetime suicide attempt, multiple lifetime suicide attempts, and lifetime self-harm. Results: Chi-square and regression analyses did not reveal significant relations between attachment organization and SRTB, although findings did confirm previously established relations between psychopathology and SRTB, such that internalizing disorder was associated with increased self-harm, suicide ideation, and suicide attempt and externalizing disorder was associated with increased self-harm. Conclusion: The severity of this sample and methodological differences from previous studies may explain the nonsignificant findings. Nonsignificant findings may indicate that the relation between attachment organization and SRTB is moderated by other factors that should be explored in future research.


Crisis ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (6) ◽  
pp. 413-421 ◽  
Author(s):  
Megan L. Rogers ◽  
Thomas E. Joiner

Abstract. Background: Acute suicidal affective disturbance (ASAD) has been proposed as a suicide-specific entity that confers risk for imminent suicidal behavior. Preliminary evidence suggests that ASAD is associated with suicidal behavior beyond a number of factors; however, no study to date has examined potential moderating variables.  Aims: The present study tested the hypotheses that physical pain persistence would moderate the relationship between ASAD and (1) lifetime suicide attempts and (2) attempt lethality. Method: Students ( N = 167) with a history of suicidality completed self-report measures assessing the lifetime worst-point ASAD episode and the presence of a lifetime suicide attempt, a clinical interview about attempt lethality, and a physical pain tolerance task. Results: Physical pain persistence was a significant moderator of the association between ASAD and lifetime suicide attempts ( B = 0.00001, SE = 0.000004, p = .032), such that the relationship between ASAD and suicide attempts strengthened at increasing levels of pain persistence. The interaction between ASAD and pain persistence in relation to attempt lethality was nonsignificant ( B = 0.000004, SE = 0.00001, p = .765). Limitations: This study included a cross-sectional/retrospective analysis of worst-point ASAD symptoms, current physical pain perception, and lifetime suicide attempts. Conclusion: ASAD may confer risk for suicidal behavior most strongly at higher levels of pain persistence, whereas ASAD and pain perception do not influence attempt lethality.


1997 ◽  
Vol 171 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-68 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Ghubash ◽  
M. T. Abou-Saleh

BackgroundThere have been numerous studies of the prevalence of postpartum depression and its putative risk factors in Western Europe and North America, but very few studies in developing countries including the Arab world.MethodNinety-five women admitted to the New Dubai Hospital in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, for childbirth were studied. All subjects were assessed in the postpartum period using clinical and socio-cultural instruments: the Self Report Questionnaire (SRQ) at day 2, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) at day 7, and the Present State Examination (PSE) at week 8 ± 2 and week 30 ± 2 after delivery.ResultsThe prevalence rate of psychiatric morbidity was 24.5% by the SRQ, 17.8% by the EPDS, and 15.8% by the PSE. A number of psychosocial factors emerged as putative risk factors for postpartum depression.ConclusionsThe prevalence rates of postpartum psychiatric morbidity and its risk factors in this Arab culture are similar to the results obtained in numerous previous studies in industrialised countries. These findings have implications for the early detection and care of women at risk for postpartum depression.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 78
Author(s):  
Victor Meireles Campos ◽  
Ieda Aleluia

BACKGROUND: Suicidal ideation is one of the main symptoms indicative of suicide attempts and suicide. According to the WHO, about 800,000 cases of suicide were reported around the world in 2014, which translates to an index of 1 suicide every 40 seconds. Medical students constitute a population at risk for the development of suicidal ideation. Several life factors may influence the risk of suicidal ideation, those being personality traits, social factors and mental health. OBJECTIVE: Identify the indicators of suicidal ideation among medical students during their academic training. METHODS: This is a systematic review carried out in the electronic databases Pubmed and BVS. Articles that addressed the subject of suicidal ideation among medical students in Portuguese, English and Spanish from 2008 to 2018 were included. RESULTS: We found 263 articles, of which 12 articles met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. After the application of the STROBE statement, 6 articles were selected for the creation of this systematic review. The prevalence of suicidal ideation varied from 3.7% to 35.6% around the world and several factors were linked to the increase of suicidal ideation risk. CONCLUSION: A suicidal ideation is a frequent and multifactorial phenomenon that involves several realms of a medical student's life. The risk factors identified in this review were linked to the increased risk of suicidal ideation development.


2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 482-488 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ricardo Cáceda ◽  
W Sue T Griffin ◽  
Pedro L Delgado

Background: Increased inflammation is linked to suicide risk. However, it is unclear whether increased inflammation drives suicidal crises or is a trait associated with lifetime suicidal behavior. Limited data exist on the sources of increased inflammation observed in suicidal patients and on its downstream effects. Aims: To examine factors associated with inflammation and with suicidal ideation severity in acutely suicidal depressed patients. Methods: Fifty-two adult depressed patients of both sexes hospitalized for severe suicidal ideation were characterized for suicidality, depression, anxiety, medical comorbidity, psychological and physical pain, impulsivity, verbal fluency, C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin (IL) 6. Two generalized linear models were performed with either CRP or suicidal ideation severity as dependent variables. Results: CRP levels were positively associated with age, body mass index (BMI), IL6, current physical pain and number of lifetime suicide attempts. Suicidal ideation severity was not significantly correlated with either CRP or IL6. Suicidal ideation severity was positively associated with female sex, presence of an anxiety disorder, current physical pain, number of lifetime suicide attempts and with delay discounting for medium and large losses. Conclusions: Increased inflammation is not associated with acute suicidal risk, but seems to represent a trait associated with lifetime suicidal behavior.


2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pengshuo Wang ◽  
Ran Zhang ◽  
Xiaowei Jiang ◽  
Shengnan Wei ◽  
Fei Wang ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Mood disorders are severe mental disorders related to increased suicidal behavior. Finding neural features for suicidal behavior, including suicide attempts (SAs) and suicidal ideation (SI), in mood disorders may be helpful in preventing suicidal behavior. Methods Subjects consisted of 70 patients with mood disorders and suicidal behavior, 128 patients with mood disorders without suicidal behavior (mood disorders control, MC), and 145 health control (HC) individuals. All participants underwent structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We used voxel-based morphometry (VBM) techniques to examine gray matter volumes (GMVs). Results Significant differences were found in GMVs of the left and right middle frontal gyrus among the patients with mood disorders and suicidal behavior, MC, and HC. Post hoc comparisons showed significant differences in the GMVs of the above regions across all three groups (P < 0.01): HC > MC > mood disorders with suicidal behavior. However, there were no significant differences in the GMVs of the left and right middle frontal gyrus between the mood disorders with SI and mood disorders with SAs groups. Conclusions These findings provide evidence that abnormal regional GMV in the middle frontal gyrus is associated with suicidal behavior in mood disorders. Further investigation is warranted to determine whether the GMV alterations in mood disorders with SI are different from these in mood disorders with SAs.


2009 ◽  
Vol 24 (S1) ◽  
pp. 1-1
Author(s):  
C. Silva ◽  
I. Gil ◽  
M.A. Mateus ◽  
Ó. Nogueiro

Several studies have been conducted to establish a profile of the suicidal/parasuicidal patient. Also several factors have been identified as possibly influencing the suicidal rates, including the religious practices.Objectives:Characterize the profile of suicidal behavior in a sample of patients followed in a general psychiatric consultation.Methods:It was done an analytical observational study of a random sample of 100 patients followed in a general psychiatric consultation. A survey was conducted with the collection of socio-economic, religious aspects and clinical data, and it was consulted the patient"s clinical process. Data analysis was done in Excel 2003.Results:The sample was consisted mostly by women (74%), being the most representative age group between 40 and 50 years (27%), mostly married (61%), 24% had 2 children and 65% lived in the rural area. The clinical diagnosis (ICD-9) was in 46% of cases, neurotic depression. 52% consider themselves religious not practitioners, being 90% catholics. History of suicide attempts/parasuicide occurred in 32% of patients, in the form of drug intoxication (31%) or with another method (11%). Most of the individuals said to have already thought about suicide at least once in their lifetime (74%). Only 8% had current suicidal ideation. Family history of suicide occurred in 27%, particularly in first degree family members, mainly by drowning (7%) and hanging (7%).Conclusions:Our results suggest that exists a high prevalence of suicidal behavior in this patients. For that reason, it should be done a systematic screening for suicidal ideation in this risk population.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Carmassi ◽  
Carlo Antonio Bertelloni ◽  
Valerio Dell'Oste ◽  
Chiara Luperini ◽  
Donatella Marazziti ◽  
...  

Background: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is one of the most frequent and severe psychiatric consequences of natural disasters, frequently associated with suicidality. The aim of this study was at examining the possible relationships between suicidal behaviors and full-blown or partial PTSD, in a sample of young earthquake survivors. The second aim was at investigating the specific role of PTSD symptoms on suicidality.Methods: A total of 475 young adults who survived the L'Aquila 2009 earthquake, one of the most severe Italian disasters of the last decades, were recruited and assessed after 21 months from the catastrophe. Participants were evaluated by two questionnaires assessing subthreshold psychopathology, the Trauma and Loss Spectrum Self-Report (TALS-SR) to investigate both full and partial PTSD, and two specific Mood Spectrum Self-Report (MOODS-SR) sub-domains exploring suicidality, namely suicidal ideation and suicide attempts.Results: The ensuing findings showed that suicidal ideation and suicide attempts were present, respectively, in 40 (8.4%) and 11 (2.3%) survivors. Rates of suicidal ideation were significantly more elevated in full-blown PTSD subjects (group 1), as compared with those suffering from partial (group 2) or no PTSD (group 3). Interestingly, group 2 subjects showed significantly more suicidal ideation than healthy individuals, and less than those of group 1, while the frequency of suicide attempts was similar across the three groups. Suicidal ideation was associated with higher scores in the following TALS-SR domains: grief-reactions, re-experiencing, avoidance and numbing, maladaptive coping, and personal characteristics/risk factor.Conclusions: The results of the present study support and extend previous findings on the role of PTSD symptoms in suicidality after a severe earthquake. However, as compared with available literature, they also highlight the significant impact of sub-threshold PTSD manifestations in increasing the suicide risk in survivors of a mass disaster.


Crisis ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Feten Fekih-Romdhane ◽  
Chams ElKhouni ◽  
Hadhami Sassi ◽  
Majda Cheour

Abstract. Objective: Little is known about specific professional factors influencing medical students' suicidal ideation and behavior. We aimed to evaluate the prevalence and correlates of suicidal ideation in Tunisian medical students. Method: This was a cross-sectional study; 390 second-cycle medical students were enrolled at the Faculty of Medicine of Tunis. Participants responded to an anonymous questionnaire containing sociodemographic data, educational factors, the Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire (SIQ), and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress scales (DASS-21). Results: Eleven students (2.8%) had made one or more suicide attempts in their lifetime. For a threshold value of 41 based on the SIQ scale, 7.9% of students were considered to have a potential risk of suicide. The multiple hierarchical linear regression analysis identified as main factors independently associated with suicidal ideation: tobacco consumption, perceived sleep quality, depression symptoms, the personal history of suicide attempt, the satisfaction with student–supervisor relationship, and choosing to study medicine. Conclusion: Suicide prevention efforts should target high-risk students with prior personal or family history of suicidal behavior. Moreover, medical school authorities should put in place effective strategies to optimize the learning environment at their institutions.


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