Effects of Psychiatric Disorders on Suicide Attempt: Similarities and Differences Between Older and Younger Adults in a National Cohort Study

Objective: Several common psychiatric disorders are associated with increased risk of suicide attempts, and the strength of these associations may vary between younger and older adults, which may explain age differences in suicide risk. Because psychiatric disorders often co-occur, it remains unclear whether (1) the risk of suicide attempt in older and younger adults is due to specific psychiatric disorders or underlying psychopathology dimensions (ie, internalizing and externalizing dimensions) and (2) the extent to which individual psychiatric disorders make distinct contributions to suicide attempt risk varies by age.

Methods: In a large nationally representative longitudinal survey, the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC; Wave 1, 2001-2002; Wave 2, 2004-2005), multiple-group structural equation modeling was used to examine shared and specific effects of DSM-IV-TR Axis I and Axis II disorders on the 3-year occurrence of suicide attempts in 4 different age groups (18-30 years, 31-40 years, 41-49 years, and ≥ 50 years).

Results: The study population included 34,653 individuals. In each age group, effect of psychiatric disorders on risk of attempting suicide was almost exclusively mediated through a general psychopathology factor representing the shared effect across all disorders (P < .01). The magnitude of this effect was significantly lower in older than in younger adults (P < .05). No individual disorder had significant additional effects on attempt risk.

Conclusions: These findings underscore the importance of assessing suicide attempt risk in patients at all ages who present with common psychiatric disorders and the need for prevention strategies focused on the general psychopathology dimension.