Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-2plfb Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-03T17:23:45.688Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Prevalence and Associated Factors for Suicidal Ideation and Behaviors in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 November 2014

Abstract

Introduction

Patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) have historically been considered at low risk for suicide, but recent studies are controversial.

Objective

To study the prevalence of suicidal thoughts and attempts in OCD patients and to compare those with and without suicidality according to demographic and clinical variables.

Methods

Fifty outpatients with primary OCD (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition) from a Brazilian public university were evaluated. The Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) was used to assess OCD severity, the Beck Depression Inventory to evaluate depressive symptoms and the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test to assess alcohol problems.

Results

All patients had obsessions and compulsions, 64% a chronic fluctuating course and 62% a minimum Y-BOCS score of 16. Half of the patients presented relevant depressive symptoms, but only three had a history of alcohol problems. Seventy percent reported having already thought that life was not worth living, 56% had wished to be dead, 46% had suicidal ideation, 20% had made suicidal plans, and 10% had already attempted suicide. Current suicidal ideation occurred in 14% of the sample and was significantly associated with a Y-BOCS score ≥16. Previous suicidal thoughts were associated with a Beck Depression Inventory score ≥19.

Conclusion

Suicidality has been underestimated in OCD and should be investigated in every patient, so that appropriate preventive measures can be taken.

Type
Original Research
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2007

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1.Weissman, MM, Bland, RC, Canino, GJ, et al.The cross national epidemiology of obsessive-compulsive disorder. J Clin Psychiatry. 1994;55(suppl):510.Google ScholarPubMed
2.Torres, AR, Lima, MC. Epidemiology of obsessive-compulsive disorder: a review. Rev Bras Psiquiatria. 2005;27:237242.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 4th ed. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association; 1994.Google Scholar
4.Goodwin, DW, Guze, SB, Robins, E. Follow-up studies in obsessional neurosis. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1969;20:182187.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
5.Hollander, E, Greenwald, S, Neville, D, Johnson, J, Hornig, CD, Weissman, MM. Uncomplicated and comorbid obsessive-compulsive disorder in an epidemiologic sample. Depress Anxiety. 19961997;4:111119.3.0.CO;2-J>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
6.Coryell, W. Obsessive-compulsive disorder and primary unipolar depression: comparisons of background, family history, course and mortality. J Nerv Ment Dis. 1981;169:220224.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
7.Khan, A, Leventhal, RM, Khan, S, Brown, WA. Suicide risk in patients with anxiety disorders: a meta-analysis of the FDA database. J Affect Disord. 2002;68:183190.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
8.Koran, LM, Thienemann, ML, Davenport, R. Quality of life for patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Am J Psychiatry. 1996;153:783788.Google ScholarPubMed
9.Hollander, E, Stein, DJ, Kwon, JH, et al.Psychosocial function and economic costs of obsessive-compulsive disorder. CNS Spectr. 1998;3(suppl):4858.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
10.Suicide Prevention: A Manual for Health Primary Care Professionals. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization; 2000.Google Scholar
11.Tukel, R, Polat, A, Ozdemir, O, Aksut, D, Turksoy, N. Comorbid conditions in obsessive-compulsive disorder. Compr Psychiatry. 2002;43:204209.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
12.Denys, D, Tenney, N, van Megen, HJ, de Geus, F, Westenberg, HG. Axis I and II comorbidity in a large sample of patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder. J Affect Disord. 2004;80:155162.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
13.Overbeeck, T, Schrues, K, Vermetten, E, Griez, E. Comorbidity of obsessive-compulsive disorder and depression: prevalence, symptom severity, and treatment effect. J Clin Psychiatry. 2002;63:11061112.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
14.Torres, AR, Prince, MJ, Bebbington, PE, et al.Obsessive-compulsive disorder: prevalence, comorbidity, impact and help-seeking in the British National Psychiatric Morbidity Survey of 2000. Am J Psychiatry. 2006;163:19781985.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
15.Sareen, J, Cox, BJ, Afifi, TO, et al.Anxiety disorders and risk for suicidal ideation and suicide attempts: a population-based longitudinal study of adults. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2005;62:12491257.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
16.Apter, A, Horesh, N, Gothelf, D, et al.Depression and suicidal behavior in adolescent inpatients with obsessive compulsive disorder. J Affect Disord. 2003;75:181189.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
17.Goodman, WK, Price, LH, Rasmussen, SA, et al.The Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale. I. Development, use, and reliability. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1989;41:10061011.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
18.Goodman, WK, Price, LH, Rasmussen, SA, et al.The Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale. II. Validity. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1989;41:10121016.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
19.Beck, AT, Ward, CH, Mendelson, M, Mock, J, Erbaugh, J. An inventory for measuring depression. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1961;4:5363.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
20.Babor, TF, Higgins-Biddle, JC, Saunders, JB, Monteiro, MG. AUDIT: The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test: Guidelines for Use in Primary Care. 2nd edition. Geneva Switzerland: World Helath Organization; 2001.Google Scholar
21.Stata Statistical Software, release 8.0. College Station, Tex: Stata Corporation; 2003.Google Scholar
22.Wetzler, AJ, Elias, R, Fostick, L, Zohar, J. Suicidal ideation versus suicidal obsession: a case report. CNS Spectr. 2007;12:553556.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
23.Mataix-Cols, D, Pertusa, A, Leckman, JF. Issues for DSM-V. how should obsessive compulsive and related disorders be classified. Am J Psychiatry. 2007;164:13131314.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
24.Silverman, MM. Preventing suicide: a call to action. World Psychiatry. 2004;3:152153.Google ScholarPubMed
25.Sevincok, L, Akoglu, A, Kokcu, F. Suicidality in schizophrenic patients with and without obsessive-compulsive disorder. Schizophr Res. 2007;90:198202.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
26.Botega, NJ, Garcia, LSL. Brazil: the need for violence (including suicide) prevention. World Psychiatry. 2004;3:157158.Google ScholarPubMed
27.Botega, NJ, Barros, MBA, Oliveira, HB, Dalgalarrondo, P, Marin-León, L. Comportamento suicida na comunidade: prevalência e fatores associados à ideação suicida. Rev Bras Psiquiatria. 2005;27:4553.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
28.Rasmussen, SA, Eisen, JL. The epidemiology and clinical features of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Psychiatr Clin N Am. 1992;15:743758.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
29.Milanfranchi, A, Marazziti, D, Pfanner, C, et al.Comorbidity in obsessive-compulsive disorder: focus on depression. Eur Psychiatry. 1995;10:379382.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
30.Crino, RD, Andrews, G. Obsessive-compulsive disorder and axis I comorbidity. J Anxiety Disord. 1996;10:3746.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
31.Riemann, BC, McNally, RJ, Cox, WM. The comorbidity of obsessive-compulsive disorder and alcoholism. J Affect Disord. 1992;6:105110.Google Scholar
32.Yaryura-Tobias, JA, Grunes, MS, Todaro, J, McKay, D, Neziroglu, FA, Stockman, R. Nosological insertion of axis I disorders in the etiology of obsessive-compulsive disorder. J Anxiety Disord. 2000;14:1930.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed