When the only solution is death: suicide among male and female workers in Brazil. / Quando a saída é a própria morte: suicídio entre trabalhadores e trabalhadoras no Brasil.

An ecological study that assessed the frequency of suicides in Brazil in the 14-65 age group, with data reported on the MIS. Objectives: to describe the time-trend of suicides during the period 2010-19, and evaluate the socio-occupational profile of occurrences, exploring aspects connecting suicide and work. We analyzed the percentage distribution, proportional percentage variation (PPV) estimates, and mortality rates (MRs), with population data from IBGE, RAIS, and occupation surveys. Between 2010-19, suicides showed a sustained upward trend (global PPV = 60.1%) which was higher in men (PPV = 62.8%) than women (PPV = 51.4%). The MR was 8.1 suicides/100,000 people of a working age. The risk of suicide was 3.5 times higher in men than women. In 2019, the MR among self-declared indigenous people (19.5/100,000) and agricultural workers (21.7/100,000) is highlighted. Hanging was the most commonly used method (71.4%). The evolution of suicide and accentuated vulnerability in the self-declared indigenous population and agricultural workers is of great concern. The expansion of affected occupations is also highlighted, indicating its dissemination and relevance for attention to characteristics of surveillance work and the control of suicide.

Estudo ecológico que avaliou a frequência de suicídios no Brasil na faixa etária de 14-65 anos com dados notificados no SIM. Objetivos: descrever a tendência temporal de suicídios no período 2010-2019 e avaliar o perfil sócio-ocupacional das ocorrências, explorando aspectos que conectem suicídio e trabalho. Analisou-se a distribuição percentual, estimativas de variação percentual proporcional (VPP) e taxas de mortalidade (TM), com dados populacionais do IBGE, RAIS e inquéritos de ocupação. Entre 2010-2019, os suicídios apresentaram tendência crescente sustentada (VPPglobal = 60,1%; maior em homens (VPP = 62,8%) do que em mulheres (VPP = 51,4%). A TM foi de 8,1 suicídios/100.000 pessoas em idade ativa. O risco do suicídio foi 3,5 vezes maior em homens do que em mulheres. Em 2019, destaca-se a TM entre autodeclarados indígenas (19,5/100 mil) e em trabalhadores da agricultura (21,7/100 mil). O enforcamento foi o método mais utilizado (71,4%). Observa-se evolução preocupante do suicídio e vulnerabilidade acentuada na população autodeclarada indígena e em trabalhadores da agricultura. Ressalta-se ainda ampliação de ocupações afetadas, apontando sua disseminação e a relevância da atenção às características do trabalho na vigilância e controle do suicídio.

Influence of changes in occupational status during the COVID-19 pandemic on suicidal narrative, suicide crisis syndrome, and suicidal ideation in Brazil.

This article aims to examine differences in suicidal narrative and suicide crisis syndrome symptoms, and suicidal ideation among those who maintained, lost, and gained employment or student status during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is a cross-sectional study based on an online and anonymous self-report questionnaire. Participants were recruited through social media platforms between November 2020 and October 2021. Changes in occupational status were assessed in 2,259 individuals. The sample was divided into four groups according to work (full-time/part-time) and study status (1) maintained, (2) lost, (3) gained, and (4) unemployed. Suicide outcomes were investigated by the Suicidal Narrative Inventory, Suicide Crisis Inventory, and Columbia - Suicide Severity Rating Scale Screener version. Changes in occupational status influenced symptoms of the suicide crisis syndrome and suicidal narrative, but not suicidal ideation. Those who maintained their work, such as full-time/part-time scored lower on the total scores of the Suicidal Narrative Inventory and Suicide Crisis Inventory-2 compared to those who lost their employed status and unemployed. Our findings suggest that it is appropriate to consider changes in employed status as a mental health risk factor during pandemics.

Mortality trends and years of potential life lost due to suicide in adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the trend in mortality rates and years of potential life lost (YPLL) due to suicide among adolescents in Northeast Brazil. METHODS: This is an ecological time series study, with secondary data from 2011 to 2020 from the Mortality Information System for adolescents aged 10 to 19 years in the Northeast region of Brazil. Groups of causes from the 10th Revision of the International Classification of Diseases were included: X60-X84 (intentionally self-inflicted injuries), Y10-Y19 (poisoning of undetermined intent), and Y87 (sequelae of intentional self-harm). Mortality coefficients and frequency distribution by sociodemographic variables, place of occurrence, and method of suicide were estimates. YPLL were estimated by gender and age. Joinpoint regression analysis was used, and the annual percentage change (APC) was determined with 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: A total of 2,410 deaths were recorded, with a predominance of adolescents aged between 15 and 19, males, of mixed-race, low schooling, and home was the main place of occurrence. The trend in the death rate was increasing in the Northeast (APC: 3.6%; p = 0.001), in girls aged 10 to 14 (APC: 8.7%; p = 0.003), in boys aged 15 to 19 (APC: 4.6%; p = 0.002) and in Bahia (APC: 8.1%; p = 0.012). Hanging/strangulation was the main method adopted by both sexes. The YPLL due to suicide were 11,110 in 2011 and 14,960 in 2020. CONCLUSION: The precociousness of suicide committed by girls and the increase in mortality among older adolescents are noteworthy, and specific preventive measures need to be adopted for these groups in order to reduce this preventable cause of death.

Viver a vida. Guia de implementação para a prevenção do suicídio nos países

Mais de 700.000 pessoas perdem suas vidas para o suicídio a cada ano. A Organização Mundial da Saúde (OMS) defende que os países ajam na prevenção do suicídio, idealmente por meio de uma estratégia nacional de prevenção do suicídio. Os governos e as comunidades podem excercer seus papéis na contribuição para a prevenção do suicídio implementando o guia VIVER A VIDA - uma abordagem da OMS para a prevenção do suicídio, a fim de que os países possam desenvolver uma estratégia nacional de prevenção. O guia destina-se a todos os países, que possuem ou não, uma estratégia nacional de prevenção do suicídio; pontos focais nacionais ou locais para prevenção do suicídio e partes interessadas da comunidade com interesse ou que já estejam envolvidas na implementação de atividades de prevenção do suicídio. Este guia serve como um catalisador para que os governos tomem medidas baseadas em evidências. Permite aos países proteger as vidas de pessoas que se encontram em situação de sofrimento intolerável e em risco de suicídio, apresentando uma abordagem multissetorial de prevenção, uma vez que todos nós temos a responsabilidade de trabalhar juntos para prevenir o suicídio.

COVID-19 pandemic and suicidal behavior in adults: systematic review of observational studies.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the scientific evidence on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on suicidal behavior in adults. METHOD: Systematic review, conducted from June to October 2022, in the following databases: MEDLINE/PubMed, Virtual Health Library, Excerpta Medica database, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature, PsycINFO, Web of Science, Scopus, Science Direct and Google Scholar. The selection, data extraction and assessment of methodological quality were carried out using the Methodological Index for Non-randomized Studies tool. Considering that most of the studies evaluated had significant methodological differences, it was decided to carry out a qualitative synthesis of the data. RESULTS: A total of 2112 articles were found, from which eight articles were selected that analyzed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on suicidal behavior in adults. CONCLUSION: The COVID-19 pandemic has influenced the suicidal behavior in adults worldwide, especially when related to race, gender, age, religion, socioeconomic, family and legal issues, and pre-existing mental disorders, leading to a greater propensity for suicidal act.

Suicide Risk Factors in High School Students.

In Mexico, suicide has become an important public health problem, representing the third leading cause of death in the adolescent population. Suicidal behavior in adolescents is associated with the interaction of complex relationships between personal, interpersonal, and sociocultural factors. Through a quantitative, descriptive, and correlational cross-sectional study, the present study aimed to analyze the prevalence and risk factors associated with suicidal ideation among adolescents from different high schools of the high school system (SEMS) of the University of Guadalajara, in response to the psychosocial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. A descriptive statistical analysis was carried out on the data obtained from the 3583 students surveyed, followed by a principal component analysis (PCA) to identify closely related social, emotional, and behavioral variables. The PCA yielded eight principal components, which together represent 75.42% of the variance across psychometric tests. A multiple linear regression analysis was used, with a regression value (R2) of 0.4811, indicating that the explanatory model can predict 48.1% of the variability in suicidal ideation, with a statistical significance level of 0.05. According to the studies conducted, 19% (688 students) showed indicators of high suicide risk and 26.8% (960 students) showed moderate risk. Depression, mental health, health-related quality of life, physical and psychological well-being, and mood and emotions are the most influential factors in suicidal ideation.

Developmental Assets and Their Relationship to Suicidal Behavior in Mexican Young Adults.

Suicide in young people is a public health problem. Typically, protective factors for suicide are not studied; research tends to focus on measuring risk factors. However, knowing the risk factors does not mean that we also know the opposing factors that influence a group's health problems. For this reason, we examined the relationship between developmental assets in Mexican youth aged 18 to 25 years who are not at risk for suicide, exhibit self-injurious behavior, and whose last suicide attempt had low or high lethality. A cross-sectional study of 478 young people (73% female and 27% male) from Mexico City was conducted using an online survey and correlations were tested with dummy variables (groups) and multinomial logistic regression. The no-risk group showed associations with all developmental assets, the self-injurious group had an association with the house rules variable, the low lethality group was correlated with twelve assets and the high lethality group with four assets. Four internal developmental strengths were significant in the regression model: avoidance of risk behaviors, school expectations, resistance to pressure, and expression of anger. These results suggest that PYD is a useful framework for examining suicide risk and promotes skill development in young college students.

Associations between a Brazilian suicide awareness campaign and suicide trends from 2000 to 2019: Joinpoint and regression discontinuity analysis.

BACKGROUND: Suicide is a global health concern whose rates are soaring in many low-and-middle-income countries. Public awareness campaigns have been implemented in Brazil; however, their impact is uncertain. METHODS: This was an ecological study using population data from DATA-SUS, a Brazilian official notification system, selecting only deaths that were voluntarily self-inflicted (CID-10 × 60-X84). We analyzed all available data from 2000 to 2019 to assess trends before and after the national Yellow September (YS) campaign started in 2015. Differences in trends were assessed by Joinpoint Analysis (JA) and Regression Discontinuity Analysis (RDD), unadjusted and adjusted for economic factors. RESULTS: Overall, there was a progressive increase in the rate of relative (per 100,000 inhabitants) number of suicides over time between 2000 and 2019 (57 % increase). The JA detected a change in the slope of the curve representing an acceleration in suicides starting in the year 2015. Adjusted RDD revealed the year that Yellow September started significantly change the slope of the association between time and rates of suicide (pinteraction < 0.01), and marginal analysis detected the coefficient increased from 0.07 (95%CI 0.04-0.10) to 0.27 (95%CI -0.07-0.60) suicides/year per 100,000 inhabitants. LIMITATIONS: The ecological nature of the manuscript compromises causational implications. CONCLUSIONS: We found an increase in suicidal trends in Brazil, against the global trend that coincides with the beginning of a large national awareness campaign. Although we cannot attribute causality, our results reinforce the need of further studies to better understand the role of awareness campaigns in suicide reduction interventions, including potential unintended effects.

Abriendo puertas para la vida: Programa de prevención de conductas suicidas a través de docentes Gatekeepers / Opening doors to life: A suicidal behavior prevention program involving Gatekeeper teachers / Abrindo portas para a vida: Programa de prevenção ao comportamento suicida por meio de professores Gatekeepers

Introducción: El suicidio es la tercera causa de muerte de jóvenes entre 15 y 19 años. Ante esto, los ambientes escolares pueden favorecer el fomento de la salud mental de los adolescentes, permitir la identificación temprana de factores de riesgo y aportar en la prevención de conductas suicidas. Una de las estrategias de prevención es el entrenamiento de "gatekeepers". Objetivo: Determinar el efecto del programa "Abriendo Puertas para la Vida" sobre conocimientos, actitudes y prácticas en prevención de conductas suicidas en un grupo de profesores de secundaria de una institución educativa de San Juan de Pasto, Colombia. Materiales y métodos: Estudio preexperimental, con un grupo de intervención y medidas pre y pos-seguimiento. Participaron nueve docentes voluntarios durante dos jornadas de formación. Resultados: Se identificaron cambios positivos en conocimientos, actitudes y prácticas de los participantes entre pretest y postest, en la mayoría de las subdimensiones evaluadas; sin embargo, tres años después, estos cambios se mantuvieron tan solo en conocimientos sobre las conductas suicidas y en actitudes hacia la prevención. Conclusión: El programa "Abriendo Puertas para la Vida" evidenció efectividad y pertinencia, sin embargo, el mantenimiento de sus efectos requiere de acciones de seguimiento y acompañamiento a los docentes formados.

Introduction: Suicide is the third cause of death in young people aged between 15 to 19 years. Thus, school environments can promote mental health of adolescents through early identification of risk factors and prevention of suicidal behaviors. One prevention strategy is the training of "gatekeepers". Objective: To determine the impact of the "Opening Doors to Life" program on the knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding prevention of suicidal behavior in a set of high school teachers from an educational institution in San Juan de Pasto, Colombia. Materials and methods: A pre-experimental study with an intervention group and pre- and post-follow-up measurements. Nine volunteer teachers participated during two training sessions. Results: Positive changes regarding knowledge, attitudes, and practices of the participants during pretest and posttest were observed for the majority of evaluated sub-dimensions. However, after three years, the positive measures prevailed only for knowledge about suicidal behavior and attitudes toward prevention. Conclusion: The "Opening Doors to Life" program showed effectiveness and relevance. However, maintaining its impact requires follow-up actions and support of trained teachers.

Introdução: O suicídio é a terceira causa de morte de jovens entre 15 e 19 anos. Diante disso, os ambientes escolares podem promover a promoção da saúde mental em adolescentes, permitir a identificação precoce de fatores de risco e contribuir para a prevenção do comportamento suicida. Uma das estratégias de prevenção é a formação de "gatekeepers". Objetivo: Determinar o efeito do programa "Abrindo Portas para a Vida" nos conhecimentos, atitudes e práticas na prevenção do comportamento suicida em um grupo de professores do ensino médio de uma instituição educacional em San Juan de Pasto, Colômbia. Materiais e métodos: Estudo pré-experimental, com grupo de intervenção e medidas pré e pós-acompanhamento. Nove professores voluntários participaram durante dois dias de treinamento. Resultados: Foram identificadas mudanças positivas nos conhecimentos, atitudes e práticas dos participantes entre o pré-teste e o pós-teste, na maioria das subdimensões avaliadas; porém, três anos depois, essas mudanças se mantiveram apenas no conhecimento sobre comportamentos suicidas e atitudes frente à prevenção. Conclusão: O programa "Abrindo Portas para a Vida" mostrou efetividade e relevância, porém, a manutenção de seus efeitos requer ações de acompanhamento e apoio a professores capacitados.

The rise in mortality due to intentional self-poisoning by medicines in Brazil between 2003 and 2022: relationship with regional and global crises.

In recent years, suicide rates in Brazil have increased, but little is known about the temporal behavior and characteristics of suicides due to intentional self-poisoning by medicines. The aim of the present study was to provide an overview of sociodemographic characteristics and place of death related to suicide due to intentional self-poisoning by medicines, to evaluate the trend of mortality rates in Brazil between 2003 and 2022, and its relationship with regional and global crises. Ecological time series study with data from the Mortality Information System of the Brazilian Ministry of Health, related to individuals aged 10 years and over, who committed suicides due to intentional drug overdose, in the period from 2003 to 2022. The analyses were performed in the R environment in RStudio. Between 2003 and 2022, there was a predominance of deaths in women (55.5%), individuals aged 30-49 years (47.2%), of White race/color (53.2%), occurring in health facilities (67.0%), using drugs or unspecified substances (40.4%); a higher concentration in the southern region (22.8%) and a positive trend in mortality rates due to intentional drug overdose, especially from 2016 onwards. A rise of 264% was observed in the comparison of 2022 and 2003. A peculiar sociodemographic profile was observed in the victims of intentional self-poisoning by medicines and a positive temporal trend in mortality rates, especially in a period marked by regional and global crises.

Identifying suicidal risk factors in the French Overseas Territories with multimethod psychological autopsy (AUTOPSOM): a mixed-methods study protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Understanding suicide in more isolated territories is a challenge because of the entanglement of cultural identity with historical, geographical and sociocultural specificities. This knowledge is a necessary precondition for the implementation of targeted prevention strategies in regions such as the French overseas territories (FOT), where data concerning suicidal risk factors is still incomplete. We aim to untangle sociocultural and clinical suicide risk factors by integrating a novel anthropological and psycholinguistic approach into the psychological autopsy method. This article describes the protocol of the clinical study 'Contribution of Psychological Autopsy to the Understanding of Suicidal Behaviours in Overseas France' (AUTOPSOM study), designed to identify common or new specific suicide risk factors in four FOT. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A multicentre epidemiological study will be carried out in four FOTs (French Polynesia, Martinique, La Reunion and French Guiana) and at a comparison site in mainland France (La Somme). The methodology will be based on a mixed-methods (quantitative and qualitative) approach using a psychological autopsy to collect clinical data and life events in the deceased's life. We implemented an exploratory multimethod strategy that combines a succession of epidemiological, anthropological, psycholinguistic and psychological methods with a semiautomated analysis of the discourse of relatives bereaved by suicide. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study protocol (first version) was approved by the French Ethics Committee (CPP OUEST II, approval #22.04267.000122) and the Ethics Committee of French Polynesia (JOPF of 5 April 2022; CEPF opinion n°91 of 29 March 2022). The overall results and the perspectives established at the end of the study will be communicated to the bereaved relatives according to their will and serve for local suicide prevention purposes. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT05773898.

The link between pesticide exposure and suicide in agricultural workers: a systematic review.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic literature review to find the association between pesticide exposure and the incidence of suicide in agricultural workers, focusing on analyzing the profile of agricultural workers, the countries with the highest number of publications and, especially, the link between occupational exposure to pesticides, the degradation of mental health and suicide among agricultural workers. METHODS: A systematic literature review was conducted following the PRISMA protocol using Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed databases, where 33 articles were screened to compose the final portfolio. RESULTS: There is a strong link between pesticide exposure and suicide in agricultural workers. Smoking, alcohol consumption, exposure time, and marital status influence the decision to die by suicide. Brazil and the US lead the ranking in publications, demonstrating that it is not a problem only for developing countries. Organophosphates are the main pesticides used, and they degrade an enzyme crucial for the nervous system, which can result in mental disorders and consequent suicide in agricultural workers. CONCLUSION: There is a need for stricter norms for the commercialization and use of pesticides. There is also a need for providing training to agricultural workers on the application and storage of pesticides, and to communicate about the compounds and the consequences of pesticides to mental health.

Surveillance for Violent Deaths - National Violent Death Reporting System, 48 States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, 2021.

Problem/Condition: In 2021, approximately 75,000 persons died of violence-related injuries in the United States. This report summarizes data from CDC's National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) on violent deaths that occurred in 48 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico in 2021. Results are reported by sex, age group, race and ethnicity, method of injury, type of location where the injury occurred, circumstances of injury, and other selected characteristics. This report introduces additional incident and circumstance variables, which now include child victim-specific circumstance information. This report also incorporates new U.S. Census Bureau race and ethnicity categories, which now account for more than one race and Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander categories and include updated denominators to calculate rates for these populations. Period Covered: 2021. Description of System: NVDRS collects data regarding violent deaths from death certificates, coroner and medical examiner records, and law enforcement reports. This report includes data collected for violent deaths that occurred in 2021. Data were collected from 48 states (all states with exception of Florida and Hawaii), the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Forty-six states had statewide data, two additional states had data from counties representing a subset of their population (31 California counties, representing 64% of its population, and 13 Texas counties, representing 63% of its population), and the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico had jurisdiction-wide data. NVDRS collates information for each violent death and links deaths that are related (e.g., multiple homicides, homicide followed by suicide, or multiple suicides) into a single incident. Results: For 2021, NVDRS collected information on 68,866 fatal incidents involving 70,688 deaths that occurred in 48 states (46 states collecting statewide data, 31 California counties, and 13 Texas counties), and the District of Columbia. The deaths captured in NVDRS accounted for 86.5% of all homicides, legal intervention deaths, suicides, unintentional firearm injury deaths, and deaths of undetermined intent in the United States in 2021. In addition, information was collected for 816 fatal incidents involving 880 deaths in Puerto Rico. Data for Puerto Rico were analyzed separately. Of the 70,688 deaths, the majority (58.2%) were suicides, followed by homicides (31.5%), deaths of undetermined intent that might be due to violence (8.2%), legal intervention deaths (1.3%) (i.e., deaths caused by law enforcement and other persons with legal authority to use deadly force acting in the line of duty, excluding legal executions), and unintentional firearm injury deaths (<1.0%). The term "legal intervention" is a classification incorporated into the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, and does not denote the lawfulness or legality of the circumstances surrounding a death caused by law enforcement.Demographic patterns and circumstances varied by manner of death. The suicide rate was higher for males than for females. Across all age groups, the suicide rate was highest among adults aged ≥85 years. In addition, non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native (AI/AN) persons had the highest suicide rates among all racial and ethnic groups. Among both males and females, the most common method of injury for suicide was a firearm. Among all suicide victims, when circumstances were known (84.4%), suicide was most often preceded by a mental health, intimate partner, or physical health problem or by a recent or impending crisis during the previous or upcoming 2 weeks. The homicide rate was higher for males than for females. Among all homicide victims, the homicide rate was highest among persons aged 20-24 years compared with other age groups. Non-Hispanic Black or African American (Black) males experienced the highest homicide rate of any racial or ethnic group. Among all homicide victims, the most common method of injury was a firearm. When the relationship between a homicide victim and a suspect was known, the suspect was most frequently an acquaintance or friend for male victims and a current or former intimate partner for female victims. Homicide most often was precipitated by an argument or conflict, occurred in conjunction with another crime, or, for female victims, was related to intimate partner violence. Nearly all victims of legal intervention deaths were male, and the legal intervention death rate was highest among men aged 30-34 years. The legal intervention death rate was highest among AI/AN males, followed by Black males. A firearm was used in the majority of legal intervention deaths. When circumstances were known, the most frequent circumstances reported for legal intervention deaths were as follows: the victim used a weapon in the incident and the victim had a substance use problem (other than alcohol use). Other causes of death included unintentional firearm injury deaths and deaths of undetermined intent. Unintentional firearm injury deaths were most frequently experienced by males, non-Hispanic White (White) persons, and persons aged 15-24 years. These deaths most frequently occurred while the shooter was playing with a firearm and were precipitated by a person unintentionally pulling the trigger. The rate of deaths of undetermined intent was highest among males, particularly among AI/AN and Black males, and among adults aged 30-54 years. Poisoning was the most common method of injury in deaths of undetermined intent, and opioids were detected in nearly 80% of decedents tested for those substances. Interpretation: This report provides a detailed summary of data from NVDRS on violent deaths that occurred in 2021. The suicide rate was highest among AI/AN and White males, whereas the homicide rate was highest among Black males. Intimate partner violence precipitated a large proportion of homicides for females. Mental health problems, intimate partner problems, interpersonal conflicts, and acute life stressors were primary precipitating circumstances for multiple types of deaths examined. Public Health Action: Violence is preventable, and data can guide public health action. NVDRS data are used to monitor the occurrence of violence-related fatal injuries and assist public health authorities in developing, implementing, and evaluating programs, policies, and practices to reduce and prevent violent deaths. NVDRS data can be used to enhance prevention efforts into actionable strategies. States or jurisdictions have used their Violent Death Reporting System (VDRS) data to guide suicide prevention efforts and highlight where additional focus is needed. For example, North Carolina VDRS program data have played a significant role in expanding activities related to firearm safety and injury prevention. The program served as a primary data source for partners, which led to the creation of the Office of Violence Prevention in the state, focusing on combatting firearm-related deaths. In Maine, the VDRS provided data on law enforcement officer suicides that were used to help support a bill mandating mental health resiliency and awareness training in the state's law enforcement training academy, along with plans for similar training addressing mental health, substance use, and alcohol problems among corrections officers. In addition, states and jurisdictions have also used their VDRS data to examine factors related to homicide in their state or jurisdiction. For example, Georgia VDRS collaborated with the City of Atlanta Mayor's Office of Violence Reduction to develop two public dashboards that not only offer comprehensive data on violent deaths but also present data on the geographic distribution of populations disproportionately affected by violence to help inform violence prevention interventions.

Factors associated with suicide risk and attempts in healthcare students: A cross-sectional study. / Factores asociados al riesgo e intentos suicidas en estudiantes de carreras de la salud: estudio transversal.

Introduction: Suicide deaths in young people have been increasing in recent decades and are considered a major public health problem worldwide, being a partially preventable event. The prevalence of suicidal ideation is high among university students, especially in health careers. The objective of this study was to measure the prevalence of high suicidal risk in this specific group and to identify associated factors, aiming to provide empirical evidence for the construction of effective suicide prevention strategies. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted based on an online survey directed to healthcare students near the end of the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic to learn about the frequency of suicidal risk and its associated factors. The sample consisted of 477 students (70.8% female, mean age 21.7 ± 2.5 years) from eight healthcare majors. The data were collected in January 2021. Results: 22.6% of the young people reported a high suicide risk on the Okasha scale, and 3.4% made a suicide attempt in the previous year. Factors associated with high suicidal risk were having a non-heterosexual orientation, an irregular academic trajectory, experiences of physical and/or psychological violence, higher levels of depressive and anxious symptomatology, as well as lower levels of social support from friends and family. Conclusions: Suicide risk and attempt levels are high in this group of students, and there is a group of factors that could guide more effective actions, such as support for higher-risk groups and screening to identify and provide support to young people at high suicidal risk and with mental health conditions.

Introducción: Las muertes por suicidio en jóvenes han ido en aumento en las últimas décadas y se considera un problema de salud pública prioritario a nivel mundial, siendo un evento parcialmente prevenible. La prevalencia de ideas suicidas es alta entre estudiantes universitarios, especialmente en carreras de la salud. El objetivo de este estudio fue medir la prevalencia de alto riesgo suicida en este grupo específico e identificar factores asociados, con la finalidad de aportar evidencia empírica para la construcción de estrategias efectivas de prevención del suicidio. Métodos: Se realizó un estudio transversal basado en una encuesta en línea a estudiantes de carreras de la salud, casi al final del primer año de la pandemia de COVID-19, para conocer la frecuencia del riesgo suicida y sus factores asociados. La muestra fue de 477 estudiantes (70,8% mujeres, edad promedio 21,7 ± 2,5 años), de ocho carreras de la salud. Los datos se recogieron en enero de 2021. Resultados: Un 22,6% de los jóvenes reportó un alto riesgo suicida en la escala de Okasha y 3,4% hizo un intento suicida en el año previo. Los factores asociados al alto riesgo suicida fueron: tener una orientación no-heterosexual, una trayectoria académica irregular, experiencias de violencia física y/o psicológica, mayores niveles de sintomatología depresiva y ansiosa, así como menores niveles de apoyo social de amigos y de la familia. Conclusiones: Las cifras de riesgo e intentos suicidas son elevadas en este grupo de estudiantes y existe un perfil de factores que podrían orientar acciones más efectivas, tales como apoyo a grupos de mayor riesgo y hacer tamizaje para identificar y dar ayuda a jóvenes con alto riesgo suicida y con problemas de salud mental.

The Beck Hopelessness Scale's psychometric features: A new short form based on item response theory.

BACKGROUND: The assessment of hopelessness plays a significant role in preventing various psychological disorders and major life events within the general population. However, the psychometric properties of the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS) have been a subject of controversy, primarily studied in clinical groups. The aim of the present study was to gain new psychometric insights and propose a new short version of the BHS for the general population using the Item Response Theory (IRT) approach. METHODS: A total of 2164 Argentinean individuals completed the BHS alongside the Inventory of Suicide Orientation-30. We compared IRT models with two and three parameters for the original BHS version, exploring the removal of redundant and less informative items. Convergent and discriminant validity was also examined. RESULTS: Our results support the 2PL model for the BHS-19. In addition, the BHS-10 short version adequately depicted the same range of the measured trait as the original version, showing reasonable measurement accuracy in the middle-high levels of the trait (marginal reliability = 0.70, Cronbach's α = 0.86). Notably, a positive correlation was found between the factorial score of BHS-10, BHS-19, and suicide orientation. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, our findings support the use of a simplified version as a practical and valuable tool for both research and clinical practice in the future.

Factores asociados al riesgo e intentos suicidas en estudiantes de carreras de la salud: estudio transversal / Factors associated with suicide risk and attempts in healthcare students: a cross-sectional study

INTRODUCCIÓN: Las muertes por suicidio en jóvenes han ido en aumento en las últimas décadas y se considera un problema de salud pública prioritario a nivel mundial, siendo un evento parcialmente prevenible. La prevalencia de ideas suicidas es alta entre estudiantes universitarios, especialmente en carreras de la salud. El objetivo de este estudio fue medir la prevalencia de alto riesgo suicida en este grupo específico e identificar factores asociados, con la finalidad de aportar evidencia empírica para la construcción de estrategias efectivas de prevención del suicidio. MÉTODOS: Se realizó un estudio transversal basado en una encuesta en línea a estudiantes de carreras de la salud, casi al final del primer año de la pandemia de COVID-19, para conocer la frecuencia del riesgo suicida y sus factores asociados. La muestra fue de 477 estudiantes (70,8% mujeres, edad promedio 21,7 ± 2,5 años), de ocho carreras de la salud. Los datos se recogieron en enero de 2021. RESULTADOS: Un 22,6% de los jóvenes reportó un alto riesgo suicida en la escala de Okasha y 3,4% hizo un intento suicida en el año previo. Los factores asociados al alto riesgo suicida fueron: tener una orientación no-heterosexual, una trayectoria académica irregular, experiencias de violencia física y/o psicológica, mayores niveles de sintomatología depresiva y ansiosa, así como menores niveles de apoyo social de amigos y de la familia. CONCLUSIONES: Las cifras de riesgo e intentos suicidas son elevadas en este grupo de estudiantes y existe un perfil de factores que podrían orientar acciones más efectivas, tales como apoyo a grupos de mayor riesgo y hacer tamizaje para identificar y dar ayuda a jóvenes con alto riesgo suicida y con problemas de salud mental.

INTRODUCTION: Suicide deaths in young people have been increasing in recent decades and are considered a major public health problem worldwide, being a partially preventable event. The prevalence of suicidal ideation is high among university students, especially in health careers. The objective of this study was to measure the prevalence of high suicidal risk in this specific group and to identify associated factors, aiming to provide empirical evidence for the construction of effective suicide prevention strategies. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted based on an online survey directed to healthcare students near the end of the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic to learn about the frequency of suicidal risk and its associated factors. The sample consisted of 477 students (70.8% female, mean age 21.7 ± 2.5 years) from eight healthcare majors. The data were collected in January 2021. RESULTS: 22.6% of the young people reported a high suicide risk on the Okasha scale, and 3.4% made a suicide attempt in the previous year. Factors associated with high suicidal risk were having a non-heterosexual orientation, an irregular academic trajectory, experiences of physical and/or psychological violence, higher levels of depressive and anxious symptomatology, as well as lower levels of social support from friends and family. CONCLUSIONS: Suicide risk and attempt levels are high in this group of students, and there is a group of factors that could guide more effective actions, such as support for higher-risk groups and screening to identify and provide support to young people at high suicidal risk and with mental health conditions.

The effect of bullying and cyberbullying on predicting suicide risk in adolescent females: The mediating role of depression.

This paper analyzed the role of depression as a mediator in the association between bullying, cyberbullying, and suicide risk in adolescent females. A total of 751 Colombian adolescent females (M= 13.71, SD=1.897), who were administered the Plutchik Suicide Risk Scale, the Beck Depression Inventory, the European Bullying Intervention Project Questionnaire and Cyberbullying. Bullying victimization and aggression and cyberbullying victimization were found to contribute statistically significant effects that explaining 22 % of the variance in depression. The variables of victimization in bullying and cyberbullying and depression explained 64 % of the variance in suicidal risk, and depression mediated the association between victim and aggressor roles in bullying and cyberbullying in predicting suicidal risk, whose total direct and indirect effects are statistically significant. The findings support the role of depression as a mediating variable between bullying and cyberbullying and suicidal risk in female adolescents and highlight the importance of focusing prevention and intervention efforts on risk factors for depression and suicidal behavior in cases of bullying and cyberbullying.

Profiles of mental illness in college students and associated factors: A latent class analysis.

Mental illness among university students poses a pressing challenge for educational institutions, urging the need for strategies that foster health and mitigate mental distress, with an emphasis on preventing suicide. Our study sought to discern the profiles of mental illness among college students and explore the factors associated with them. We examined data from 918 students at a Brazilian Federal Institute, utilizing Latent Class Analysis and multinomial regression for our analyses. We identified three distinct mental illness profiles: Anxiety with Low Suicide Risk; Mental Illness with Moderate Suicide Risk; and Mental Illness with High Suicide Risk. We observed a reduced association of these profiles with religious beliefs. Conversely, there was a heightened association with cisgender women, individuals identifying as LGBTQI+, those with learning disabilities, and victims of sexual violence. Our findings underscore the importance of tailored prevention and health promotion programs to enhance student well-being. There's a compelling need to devise mental health strategies tailored to the specific needs of the identified groups, particularly students from the LGBTQI + community, survivors of sexual abuse, and those grappling with learning disabilities.

Subcutaneous ketamine reduces suicide risk and improves functioning in depression: A proof-of-concept study.

This investigation explores the efficacy of subcutaneous ketamine for mitigating depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation, addressing a crucial need for rapid-onset treatments in severe depression cases. It introduces an innovative approach to administering an NMDA receptor antagonist, significantly advancing psychopharmacological methods for treating suicidal behaviors as distinct entities, even within depressive episodes. The study's objective is to assess the impact of subcutaneous ketamine on diminishing suicidal thoughts and mood symptoms during depressive episodes through a naturalistic, prospective observational design. Conducted at Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Brazil, between 2021 and 2023, the study involved 26 patients undergoing a current depressive episode. Of these, 23 completed the acute phase of treatment, and 18 were followed up for 6 months. The treatment regimen commenced with a ketamine dose of 0.5 mg/kg, which was adjusted according to individual responses under psychiatric supervision. The findings revealed substantial decreases in Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale scores following multiple ketamine sessions, with most patients achieving remission after approximately eight sessions. A notable reduction in depressive symptoms was also observed. A clear dose-response relationship was established, indicating that higher doses of ketamine were associated with more significant improvements in depressive symptoms, suicidal ideation, and overall functionality. Follow-up assessments suggested that these improvements were sustained over time. The subcutaneous administration of ketamine was generally well-tolerated, with minor and short-lived side effects. The study posits that subcutaneous ketamine may present a promising solution for treating severe depression accompanied by suicidal tendencies, particularly considering its positive influence on patient functionality and well-being. This method could offer a cost-effective and accessible treatment alternative, especially relevant in settings with limited resources. Given its potential in reducing long-term disability and economic viability, the study advocates for its broader application and further validation through larger, controlled trials. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05249309.

Suicide risk in adults with autism spectrum disorder: prevalence, assessment, and possible therapeutic interventions / Riesgo de suicidio en adultos con Trastorno del Espectro Autista: prevalencia, evaluación y posibles intervenciones terapéuticas.

Introduction: Suicide risk in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has emerged as a long-neglected issue. This revision aims to explore the prevalence, methods of assessment, and available treatments for suicide risk in this population. Methods: A narrative review was carried out on three aspects related to the risk of suicide in the adult population with ASD: prevalence, evaluation and available evidence-based interventions. The bibliographic search was carried out using the Pubmed, Scielo, Dialnet and Psychinfo search engines, limited to articles published from 2010 onwards. In order to identify relevant literature, various combinations of keywords were used, such as "suicide risk," "autism spectrum disorder," and "suicide in autism," in both Spanish and English. Conclusions: The main findings suggest a high prevalence of suicide risk, highlighting the need of developing standardized protocols to assess such risk in the autistic population. Moreover, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy has shown promise as a therapeutic option to decrease suicidality, but further research is needed to establish its effectiveness and standardization as a treatment.

Introducción: El riesgo de suicidio en el Trastorno del Espectro Autista (TEA) ha emergido como una problemática poco considerada durante mucho tiempo. Esta revisión tiene como objetivo explorar la prevalencia, la evaluación y los tratamientos disponibles para el riesgo de suicidio en los adultos con autismo. Metodología: Se practicó una revisión narrativa sobre tres aspectos relacionados con el riesgo de suicido en la población adulta con TEA: la prevalencia, la evaluación y las intervenciones disponibles basadas en evidencia. La búsqueda bibliográfica fue realizada utilizando los buscadores de Pubmed, Scielo, Dialnet y Psychinfo, limitándose a artículos publicados a partir del año 2010 en adelante. Con el fin de identificar la literatura relevante, se utilizaron diversas combinaciones de palabras clave, tales como "riesgo de suicidio", "trastorno del espectro autista", y "suicidio en autismo", tanto en español como en inglés. Conclusión: Los hallazgos principales sugieren un elevado riesgo de suicidio en la población autista, lo que destaca la necesidad de desarrollar protocolos estandarizados para evaluarlo. Además, la Terapia Dialéctico Conductual se ha establecido como una opción terapéutica prometedora para disminuir la suicidabilidad en esta población, pero aún se requiere de mayor investigación para establecer su eficacia y estandarización como tratamiento.