116b - Suicide

Question 1

Suicide is the [rank] leading cause of death for all ages in the United States

Answer 1

Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death for all ages in the United States

Question 2

Are men or women more likely to attempt suicide?

Are men or women more likely to die by suicide?

Answer 2

Women are 3x more likely to attempt suicide

Men are 4x more likely to die by suicide

Question 3

[fraction] of completed suicides are associated with substance use disorder

Answer 3

1/3 of completed suicides are associated with substance use disorder

Treatment of substance use (especially alcohol) is important for suicide prevention!

Question 4

Which race and gender are at highest risk for suicide?

Answer 4

American Indian men, white men (overall)

American Indian women, white women (among women)

Question 5

List 6 protective factors that can decrease risk of suicide in high-risk individuals

Answer 5

• Social support
• Treatment: access and engagement
• Personal sense of family responsiblity
• Religious or cultural sanctionas against suicide
• Good insight
• Problem-sovling skills

Question 6

What chronic stresors are associated with increased risk of suicide? (4)

Answer 6

• Social isolation
• Traumatic family background
• Poor health
• Poverty

Question 7

What are the major modifiable risk factors for suicide?

Answer 7

• Mental illness
  
  • Esp with barriers to treatment
• Physical illness
• Feelings of peronal isolation, hopelessness
• Acess to lethal means
• Local suicide “epidemics”

Question 8

How has the suicide rate changed since 1999?

Answer 8

Increased (by 35%)

Question 9

Define parasuicidal behavior

Answer 9

Suicide-type behavior/suicide gestures where the person doesn’t have an intent to die

• May be hard to distinguish between this ad a true attempt
• Suicide attempt with less risk of death may be parasuicidal
• Anyone with parasuicidal behavior is at an increased risk of death by suicide

Question 10

Which diagnosable mental illnesses carry the highest risk of suicide?

Answer 10

• Depression (bipolar and unipolar
• Alcohol use disorder
• Personality disorders
  
  • Borderline and antisocial
• Psychotic disorders

Question 11

Which types of psychotherapy may be most beneficial for a patinet with suicidal ideation and beehavior?

Answer 11

CBT

Dialectical behavior therapy

Question 12

What are the major unmodifiable risk factors for suicide?

Answer 12

• Prior attempt
• Family hx of suicide
• Family hx of child maltreatment
• Hx of aggression or impulsivity
• Recent interpersonal loss
• Cultural/religious beliefs

Question 13

Diagnosable mental illness is found in [zero/some/most] completed suicides

Answer 13

Diagnosable mental illness is found in most completed suicides

Especially depression, alcohol use disorder

Question 14

Suicide causes [more/less] deaths than homicide

Answer 14

Suicide causes more​ deaths than homicide

Question 15

Answer 15

D

• High risk, low chance of rescue

Question 16

How many people in the US die by suicide annually?

Answer 16

45,000

Question 17

What acute stresors are associated with increased risk of suicide? (5)

Answer 17

• Breakup
• Financial loss
• Job loss
• Legal problem
• Medical illness

Question 18

Alocohol intoxication (BAC >0.08) has been found in [fraction] of suicides by firearms, hanging, or poisoning

Answer 18

Alocohol intoxication (BAC >0.08) has been found in 1/3 of suicides by firearms, hanging, or poisoning

Treatment of substance use (especially alcohol) is important for suicide prevention!

Question 19

List 5 public health strategies for suicide prevention

Answer 19

• Restrict access to common lethal means
  
  • Restrict gun access, barriers at bridges, prescription guidelines
• Media guidelines
• Improve access to medical care (including mental health)
• Promote social connectedness
• Improve economic opportunity

Question 20

What are the “4 types of suicide,” according to sociologic theory?

Answer 20

• Egotistical (lack of social integration
• Altruistic (excessive integration with social institutions)
• Anomic (precipitated by an acute stressor)
• Fatalistic (unrewarding life)

Question 21

Suicide rates are highest for which age group of women?

Which age group of men?

Which age group in general?

Answer 21

• Women: 45-64
• Men: 75+
• In general: 75+

Question 22

Suicide is the [rank] leading cause of death for ages 10-34

Suicide is the [rank] leading cause of death for ages 35-54

Answer 22

Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death for ages 10-34

Suicide is the 4th leading cause of death for ages 35-54

Question 23

A patient expresses suicidal ideation to you

What factors would promote you to hospitalize them?

Answer 23

If they are an acute high risk of suicide

• Risk factors: recent suicide attempt, recent breakup, financial/job loss, legal problem, medical illness
• Expresses a plan w/a timeline