Massimilia
Abstract : Background: Youth
who attempt suicide are more at risk for later mental disorders and
suicide. However, little is known about their long-term socioeconomic
outcomes.
Aims: We investigated associations between youth suicide attempts and
adult economic and social outcomes.
Method: Participants were drawn from the Quebec Longitudinal Study of
Kindergarten Children (n = 2140) and followed up from ages 6 to 37
years. Lifetime suicide attempt was assessed at 15 and 22 years.
Economic (employment earnings, retirement savings, welfare support,
bankruptcy) and social (romantic partnership, separation/divorce, number
of children) outcomes were assessed through data linkage with
government tax return records obtained from age 22 to 37 years
(2002–2017). Generalised linear models were used to test the association
between youth suicide attempt and outcomes adjusting for background
characteristics, parental mental disorders and suicide, and youth
concurrent mental disorders.
Results: By age 22, 210 youths (9.8%) had attempted suicide. In fully
adjusted models, youth who attempted suicide had lower annual earnings
(average last 5 years, US
−1387, 95% CI −2982 to 209), greater risk of receiving welfare support
(risk ratio (RR) = 2.05, 95% CI 1.39 to 3.04) and were less likely to be
married/cohabiting (RR = 0.82, 95% CI 0.73 to 0.93), compared with
those who did not attempt suicide. Over a 40-year working career, the
loss of individual earnings attributable to suicide attempts was
estimated at US$98 384.
Conclusions: Youth who attempt suicide are at risk of poor adult
socioeconomic outcomes. Findings underscore the importance of
psychosocial interventions for young people who have attempted suicide
to prevent long-term social and economic disadvantage.
Soumis le : vendredi 17 septembre 2021
Fichier Accès restreint Fichier visible le : 2022-03-17
Citation
Massimiliano Orri, Francis Vergunst, Gustavo Turecki, Cédric Galera, Eric Latimer, et al.. Long-term economic and social outcomes of youth suicide attempts. British Journal of Psychiatry, Royal College of Psychiatrists, In press, ⟨10.1192/bjp.2021.133⟩. ⟨hal-03347283⟩