Youth Alcohol Use and Suicide

To
explore the influence of substance
use on suicidal behaviors, researchers analyzed interview data
about childhood mental health from a community sample of 1458
youths (aged 9–17 years) and their parents/guardians.

• Forty-nine
  (3%) of the youth reported at least 1 suicide attempt during
  their lifetimes.
• In
  analyses controlling for sociodemographic factors, psychiatric
  disorders, and suicidal ideation, the following were significantly
  associated with suicide attempts:

• smoking
  at least 1 cigarette per day in the past 6 months (odds
  ratio, OR, 3.0, compared with not smoking in the past year)
• alcohol
  abuse/dependence (OR 9.3, compared with not drinking >=6
  times in the past year)
• drug
  use in the past year (OR 4.6, compared with no drug use
  in the past year)

• In
  analyses that also adjusted for other substance use and abuse
  (e.g., infrequent smoking, drug use, drug dependence), smoking
  at least 1 cigarette per day or having alcohol abuse/dependence,
  compared with not using any substance, significantly increased
  odds of suicide attempts (OR 5.0 and 25.2, respectively).
  Alcohol use alone was not significantly associated with suicide
  attempt.

Comments:

Although
it lacked a large, nationally representative sample, this
study confirms the association between frequent smoking, alcohol use
disorders, and suicide attempts in youths. Clinicians should address
suicidal behaviors among their young patients with alcohol use disorders,
and heavy drinking among those with suicidal behaviors.

Richard
Saitz, MD, MPH
Rosanne Guerriero, MPH

Reference:

Wu
P, Hoven C, Liu X, et al. Substance use, suicidal ideation
and attempts in children and adolescents. Suicide Life Threat Behav.
2004;34(4):408–420.