Gender differences in suicide attempts: preliminary results of the multisite intervention study on suicidal behavior (SUPRE-MISS) from Campinas, Brazil.

OBJECTIVE: To identify sociodemographic, psychosocial and clinical differences between men and women who attempted suicide and were seen at a university general hospital. METHOD: This is a non-controlled cross-sectional study, sub-project of the Multisite Intervention Study on Suicidal Behavior by the World Health Organization. A standardized interview that comprised psychometric scales was used. The comparison between genders was made by means of uni and multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: 210 subjects (68.1% women) participated. Women had worse scores on the WHO Well-Being Index (p = 0.005), the Beck Depression Inventory (p = 0.01) and the Psychiatric Disability Assessment Schedule (p = 0.03). In the multivariate logistic regression, men presented more mental disorders due to alcohol and drug use (26.1% vs 7%, p = 0.02) and used alcohol at the suicide attempt more frequently (28.3% vs 16%, p = 0.03). Men reported that most of the time they had been feeling "active and vigorous" (50% vs 22%, p < 0.001). Women had had more physical and sexual abuse (27% vs 8.7%, p = 0.01). CONCLUSION: There are some distinctive characteristics between men and women who attempt suicide. Such differences may also be present in the general population and suggest there is a need for further studies, as well as the adoption of different strategies in suicide prevention for men and women.

[Prevalence of depression, anxiety and suicide ideation in pregnant adolescents]. / Gravidez na adolescência: prevalência de depressão, ansiedade e ideação suicida.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of depression, anxiety and suicide ideation among pregnant adolescents and verify the relationship between suicide ideation and other variables. METHODS: 120 pregnant adolescents (40 in each gestational trimester) attended at a public health center in Brazil were assessed. The following research instruments were used: the Clinical Interview Schedule (CIS-R), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale (HADS) and the Beck's Suicide Ideation Scale (BSI). The Chi-square test, the Fishers and the Mann-Whitney U tests were performed. RESULTS: There were 28 cases of anxiety (23.3%), 25 (20.8%) of depression and 20 cases of suicide ideation (16.7%). There was no difference in these prevalences in the gestational trimesters. There was a significant relationship between suicide ideation suicide and depression (p = 0.001), single individuals without boyfriends (p = 0.01) and little social support ( p = 0.001). Cases of suicidal ideation presented a high frequency of lack of concentration, anxiety, depression, preoccupations, obsessions, depressive ideas, tiredness, worries concerning body functions and compulsions. CONCLUSION: The group of pregnant adolescents showed heterogeneous results regarding mental health. The most common symptom of depression, anxiety, ideation suicide and previous suicide attempts were depressive ideas. The health professionals working with pregnant adolescents should observe them carefully, in order to detect the presence of depressive ideas.

Gender differences in suicide attempts: preliminary results of the multisite intervention study on suicidal behavior (SUPRE-MISS) from Campinas, Brazil / Diferenças entre os sexos nas tentativas de suicídio: resultados iniciais do estudo multicêntrico de intervenção no comportamento suicida (SUPRE-MISS) obtidos em Campinas, Brasil

OBJECTIVE: To identify sociodemographic, psychosocial and clinical differences between men and women who attempted suicide and were seen at a university general hospital. METHOD: This is a non-controlled cross-sectional study, sub-project of the Multisite Intervention Study on Suicidal Behavior by the World Health Organization. A standardized interview that comprised psychometric scales was used. The comparison between genders was made by means of uni and multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: 210 subjects (68.1 percent women) participated. Women had worse scores on the WHO Well-Being Index (p = 0.005), the Beck Depression Inventory (p = 0.01) and the Psychiatric Disability Assessment Schedule (p = 0.03). In the multivariate logistic regression, men presented more mental disorders due to alcohol and drug use (26.1 percent vs 7 percent, p = 0.02) and used alcohol at the suicide attempt more frequently (28.3 percent vs 16 percent, p = 0.03). Men reported that most of the time they had been feeling "active and vigorous" (50 percent vs 22 percent, p < 0.001). Women had had more physical and sexual abuse (27 percent vs 8.7 percent, p = 0.01). CONCLUSION: There are some distinctive characteristics between men and women who attempt suicide. Such differences may also be present in the general population and suggest there is a need for further studies, as well as the adoption of different strategies in suicide prevention for men and women.

OBJETIVO: Identificar diferenças entre os sexos em variáveis sociodemográficas, psicossociais e clínicas em indivíduos que tentaram o suicídio e foram atendidos em um hospital geral universitário. MÉTODO: Estudo transversal não-controlado, subprojeto do Estudo Multicêntrico de Intervenção no Comportamento Suicida, da Organização Mundial de Saúde. Utilizou-se uma entrevista padronizada, incluindo escalas psicométricas. A comparação entre os sexos foi feita usando-se regressão logística uni e multivariada. RESULTADOS: Dos 210 sujeitos, 143 (68,1 por cento) foram do sexo feminino. As mulheres tiveram piores escores no Índice de Bem-Estar OMS (p = 0,005), na escala de Beck de Depressão (p = 0,01) e na escala de Desempenho do Papel Social (p = 0,03). Na regressão logística multivariada, encontraram-se mais problemas por uso de álcool e drogas entre os homens (26,1 por cento vs 7 por cento, p = 0,02). Estes se valeram mais dessas substâncias na tentativa de suicídio (28,3 por cento vs 16 por cento, p = 0,03) e relataram que "vinham se sentindo vigorosos" a maior parte do tempo (50 por cento vs 22 por cento, p < 0,001). Mulheres relataram ter sofrido mais abuso físico e sexual (27 por cento vs 8,7 por cento, p = 0,01). CONCLUSÃO: Encontraram-se algumas características distintas entre homens e mulheres que tentaram suicídios. Tais diferenças, que podem estar igualmente presente na população geral, sugerem novos estudos e a adoção de diferentes estratégias visando à prevenção do suicídio entre homens e mulheres.

Gravidez na adolescência: prevalência de depressäo, ansiedade e ideaçäo suicida / Prevalence of depression, anxiety and suicide ideation in pregnant adolescents

OBJETIVO: Determinar a prevalência de depressäo, ansiedade e ideaçäo suicida em adolescentes grávidas e verificar associaçöes entre ideaçäo suicida e variáveis psicossociais. MÉTODOS: A amostra foi composta por 120 adolescentes grávidas (40 de cada trimestre gestacional), de 14-18 anos, atendidas em um serviço público de pré-natal. Utilizaram-se a Entrevista Clínica Estruturada-ediçäo revisada (CIS-R), a Escala Hospitalar de Ansiedade e Depressäo (HAD) e a Escala de Ideaçäo Suicida de Beck. A análise estatística utilizou os testes do Qui-quadrado, de Fisher e o teste U de Mann-Whitney. RESULTADOS: Foram encontrados 28 (23,3 por cento) casos de ansiedade, 25 (20,8 por cento) de depressäo e 19 (16,7 por cento) de ideaçäo suicida. Näo houve diferenças nesses quadros nos trimestres gestacionais. Tentativa de suicídio anterior à gravidez foi relatada por 16 (13,3 por cento) adolescentes. A ideaçäo suicida associou-se com depressäo (p = 0,001), ser solteira sem namorado (p = 0,01) e contar com pouco apoio social (p = 0,001). Os casos de ideaçäo suicida apresentaram alta freqüência de falta de concentraçäo, ansiedade, depressäo, preocupaçöes, obsessöes, idéias depressivas, fadiga, preocupaçöes com o funcionamento do corpo e compulsöes. As idéias depressivas foram o sintoma comum para os casos de depressäo, de ansiedade, de ideaçäo suicida e de tentativa de suicídio anterior. CONCLUSÖES: O grupo apresentou-se heterogêneo quanto à saúde mental. No entanto, diante da freqüência com que se observam quadros de depressäo, ansiedade e ideaçäo suicida em adolescentes, recomenda-se aos profissionais de saúde atençäo para detectar a presença de idéias depressivas em adolescentes grávidas