Suicide attempts in an African schizophrenia population: an assessment of demographic risk factors

Suicide & Life-threatening Behavior
Dana J H NiehausRobin A Emsley

Abstract

This study investigated demographic variables, including affected sibling pair status, as risk factors for suicidal behavior in schizophrenia patients of African (Xhosa) descent. Xhosa subjects with schizophrenia were interviewed with the Diagnostic Interview for Genetic Studies (DIGS) and then stratified into two groups: those with ( n = 90) and those without ( n = 364) a history of previous suicide attempts. Demographic parameters (including gender, age, and social circumstances, sib ship) were then compared across these groups. Demographic predictors of suicide included sib ship status ( p = 0.038; OR = 1.7) and age of onset of illness ( p = 0.008; OR = 2.5). On further analysis of suicide in siblings, only a minority of sib pairs was found to be concordant for a lifetime history of suicide attempts (3%). These findings raise the possibility that affected sib pair status may be protective in nature. Given the counter-intuitive nature of this finding, further work is needed to replicate it, and to explore possible underlying mechanisms.

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Citations

Oct 15, 2010·Journal of Psychopharmacology·Kahyee Hor, Mark Taylor
Nov 30, 2013·Suicide & Life-threatening Behavior·Marlize LückhoffDaniel Niehaus
Nov 8, 2005·Journal of Clinical Forensic Medicine·Charles P DzamalalaN George Liomba
Jan 19, 2006·Issues in Mental Health Nursing·Y Joel WongKristina D Slaikeu
Jun 10, 2010·Lasers in Medical Science·Aparecida Maria Cordeiro MarquesAntonio Luiz Barbosa Pinheiro
Apr 8, 2021·The South African Journal of Psychiatry : SAJP : the Journal of the Society of Psychiatrists of South Africa·Wilhelm D B NieuwoudtEsme Jordaan

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