The study, published Feb. 21 in JAMA Psychiatry, used data from the U.S. National Epidemiologic Study of Addictions and Related Conditions III and a face-to-face survey to determine the lifetime suicide attempts and psychiatric diagnosis.
Of the sample of more than 36,000 respondents, 1,948 had lifetime suicide attempts, 66.8% were female, and 6.2% had no apparent lifetime psychiatric diagnosis.
Here are four more findings:
- About 13% of respondents made their first suicide attempt prior to psychiatric disorder onset.
- An estimated 19.6% had a first attempt without an antecedent psychiatric disorder.
- Women were more likely than men to attempt suicide in the year of psychiatric disorder onset.
- Suicide attempts were less frequent among adults aged 50 to 65.