Clinical and Socio-Demographic Correlates in Depressive Patients with Suicidal Ideas & Suicidal Attempts

Background: Suicide has a strong association with mental disorder and contributes to the excess mortality of the mentally ill. Suicidal ideation is prevalent and appears to be a precondition for suicide attempts among psychiatric patients with Major Depressive disorder. Though ideas and attempts may overlap there are studies that show the two are separate clinical entities with unique psycho-socio demographic profile. Aim: To study correlates in patients with suicidal ideation and those with suicide attempts in a cohort of major depressive disorder patients. Methodology:  Study was conducted at the Inpatient psychiatry unit at a private medical college in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. It was a Cross sectional study design. Patients consecutively admitted with major depressive disorder (DSM IV TR) were recruited. Severity of suicidal ideations and attempts were rated on validated scales and the socio demographic and clinical correlates were analyzed. Results: Clinical correlates like severity of depression, severity of suicidal ideation and history of past suicidal attempt were positively correlated with severity of suicidal ideation as well as severity of current suicidal attempts in the cohort of depressive disorder patients. Conclusion: Assessment of current episode severity of both suicidal ideation as well as suicidal attempt is important in identifying high risk patients with major depressive disorder.