April 26, 2022
by Patricia Tomasi
A new study published in Frontiers in Public Health looked at antidepressant use and suicide rates in adults aged 75 and older. “The study is about suicide in Swedish older adults aged 75+ residing in long-term care facilities (LTCF),” study author Khedidja Hedna told us. “We also aimed to investigate risk factors including use of psychoactive medications and psychiatric and medical conditions.”
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December 16, 2021
by Elizabeth Pratt
Despite global upheaval during the COVID-19 pandemic, suicide rates in the United States fell during 2020.
The downward trend in suicide rates mirrors what occurred in the Spanish Flu pandemic in 1918-1920. But researchers are warning that challenges still remain in addressing the impacts of COVID-19 among disadvantaged communities.
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October 14, 2021
by Elizabeth Pratt
Excess deaths among those with mental health conditions and intellectual disabilities has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A UK study of more than 160 thousand patients found that deaths from COVID-19 among people with learning disabilities were nine times higher than among the general population during the first UK lockdown and were five times higher among those with eating disorders.
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September 21, 2021
by Patricia Tomasi
A new study published in the Journal of Translational Psychiatry looked at a combined clinical and genetic approach to the assessment of suicide and death in bipolar affective disorder. “When we think about the risk for suicide, we often think about what is happening in a person’s life at the time: the loss of a job, a major change in a relationship,” study author Eric Monson told us. “Not many people are aware that genetics play an important role in risk. In fact, the heritability for suicidality is estimated to be 30-50%, meaning that a significant proportion of risk arises from genetic sources.”
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September 17, 2021
by Tina Arnoldi
There’s a new animated series (My Life is Worth Living) that hopes to prevent suicide through its story telling. They want to show how important human connection is for prevention. But can such a serious subject be addressed through a cartoon?
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December 29, 2020
by Patricia Tomasi
A new study published on the JAMA Network looked at the association of rurality with the availability of youth mental health facilities with suicide prevention services in the United States. “The study is about the availability of mental health services in rural communities,” lead author Janessa M. Graves told us.
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June 29, 2020
by Elizabeth Pratt
The large majority of young people who experience suicidal thoughts or self-harm experience only mild or moderate mental distress.
Researchers from Cambridge University found that young people who thought about suicide or engaged in self harm were at medium risk for mental distress, rather than having obvious symptoms from a diagnosable disorder.
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March 18, 2020
by Elizabeth Pratt
Approximately eight in every 100 children aged between nine and 10 in the US report suicidal ideation. Risk factors include psychological problems and exposure to family conflict.
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December 18, 2019
by Kimberly Lucey
The push for a three-digit suicide hotline is moving forward in our nation's capitol. The Federal Communications Commission has approved a proposal to allow Americans to dial 9-8-8 to reach a suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline.
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