A Naturalistic, European Multi-Center Clinical Study of Electrodermal Reactivity and Suicide Risk Among Patients With Depression

Background: Electrodermal hyporeactivity has been proposed as a marker of suicidal risk. The EUDOR-A study investigated the prevalence of electrodermal hyporeactivity among patients with depression and its association with attempted and completed suicide.Methods: Between August 2014 and March 2016, 1,573 in- and outpatients with a primary diagnosis of depression (active or remission phase) were recruited at 15 European psychiatric centers. Each patient was followed-up for 1 year. Electrodermal activity was assessed at baseline with the ElectroDermal Orienting Reactivity Test. Data on the sociodemographic characteristics, clinical diagnoses, and treatment of the subjects were also collected. The severity of the depressive symptoms was assessed through the Montgomery–Asberg Depression Rating Scale. Information regarding number, time, and method of suicide attempts was gathered at baseline and at the end of the 1-year follow-up. The same data were collected in case of completed suicide.Results: Hyporeactive patients were shown to be significantly more at risk of suicide attempt compared to reactive patients, both at baseline and follow-up. A sensitivity of 29.86% and a positive predictive value (PPV) of 46.77% were found for attempted suicide at baseline, while a sensitivity of 35.36% and a PPV of 8.92% were found for attempted suicide at follow-up. The sensitivity and PPV for completed suicide were 25.00 and 0.61%, respectively. However, when controlled for suicide attempt at baseline, the association between hyporeactivity and follow-up suicide attempt was no longer significant. The low number of completed suicides did not allow any analysis.

Reasons assigned to suicide attempts: adolescents’ perceptions

ABSTRACT Objective: identify the reasons for attempting suicide from the perspective of adolescents. Methods: qualitative study conducted with ten adolescents who attempted suicide and were attending a Centro de Atenção Psicossocial Infanto-Juvenil located in a city in the south of Brazil. Semi-structured interviews were held in July 2020 using WhatsApp. Data were analyzed according to Minayo’s Content Thematic Analysis. Results: the adolescents’ reports listed the reasons that triggered suicide attempts, such as changes in the adolescents’ life cycle and violence, which led them to attempt suicide to solve problems. Final considerations: Data analysis revealed the reasons that triggered suicide attempts from the adolescents’ perspective and difficulties to cope with problems, probably explained by their lack of experience in dealing with frustrations and disappointments.

To Keep the Law or to Repeal It: Views of Parliamentarians On the Call to Decriminalise Attempted Suicide in Ghana

We explored the views of members of parliament (MPs) in Ghana on the call to decriminalise attempted suicide. We applied reflexive thematic analysis to Parliamentary Hansards (2017–2020) on calls to decriminalise attempted suicide in Ghana. 11 MPs shared their stance for or against the call. We developed three major themes that entailed, often, opposing views: (1) deterrent effect of the law (against: the law punishes and deters to protect life; for: the law is insensitive and has ironic effects), (2) enforcement of the law (against: leave things as they are, the law is not enforced, anyway; for: crime is not self-inflicted) and (3) prioritisation of suicide prevention (against: focus on more pressing issues, but resource support systems; for: the law and legitimate support systems cannot co-exist). The findings indicate two needs: to extend suicide literacy to Ghanaian MPs, and to initiate a public/private member’s bill on attempted suicide decriminalisation.

The Self-Inflicted Multiple Organs Injury with Nail Gun

We report the case of a patient with injuries to multiple organs as a result of attempted suicide with a nail gun. The patient shot 12 nails into his chest, causing damage to multiple organs, including the heart, lungs, and stomach. With timely emergency surgery, we successfully removed all the nails, and the patient was discharged from the hospital two weeks after surgery.