Citation

Bohnert AS, Roeder KM, Ilgen MA. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2011; 119(1-2): 106-112.

Affiliation

Serious Mental Illness Treatment Research and Evaluation Center (SMITREC), Department of Veterans Affairs, 2215 Fuller Rd. (152), Ann Arbor, MI 48105, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, 4250 Plymouth Rd., Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2011.05.032

PMID

21715108

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Suicide attempts and non-fatal overdoses are both associated with substance use. The aim of the present study was to examine correlates of suicide attempts and non-fatal overdoses simultaneously among individuals seeking addictions treatment. METHODS: A large U.S. national sample of individuals entering addictions treatment participated in a cross-sectional survey (n=5892). Multinomial logistic regression modeling tested the adjusted associations of violence, injection drug use, specific substances, and depressive symptoms with a four-category outcome variable based on prior histories of suicide attempt and non-fatal overdose (neither, suicide attempt only, overdose only, both), adjusting for demographic and treatment characteristics. RESULTS: Sexual and physical victimization was associated with suicide attempts with or without overdoses (ORs 1.25-2.84), while perpetrating violence was associated with having experienced either or both outcomes (ORs 1.25-1.56). Depressive symptoms had a stronger association with suicide attempts (OR=3.05) than overdoses (OR=1.29). Injection drug use was associated with overdoses with or without suicide attempts (ORs 2.65-3.22). Individuals seeking treatment for marijuana use were less likely have overdosed or attempted suicide (ORs 0.39-0.67), while individuals seeking treatment for heroin use were more likely to have overdosed (OR=1.46). Seeking treatment for use of more than one substance was associated with overdose and overdose and suicide attempt (ORs 1.58-2.51), but not suicide attempt alone. CONCLUSIONS: The present findings indicate that suicide and overdose are connected yet distinct problems. Individuals who have had a history of both may be a group with particularly poor psychological functioning as well as more severe drug-related problems.

Language: en