Citation

Benson T, Corry C, O'Neill S, Murphy S, Bunting B. Arch. Suicide Res. 2018; 22(1): 139-152.

Affiliation

a School of Psychology , Ulster University, Magee Campus , Northern Ireland , UK.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, International Academy of Suicide Research, Publisher Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/13811118.2017.1289870

PMID

28166453

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To understand medication use prior to suicide in relation to patterns, polypharmacy and adherence.

METHODS: 1,371 suicide cases were coded and latent class analysis used to identify combinations of medications prescribed prior to death.

RESULTS: Two thirds had been prescribed medication with 30.7% prescribed three or more. Latent class analysis revealed three classes: Mixed medication use, primarily mental medication use, and baseline/low medication use. There are potentially high rates of medication non-adherence.

CONCLUSIONS: Both medication use but also non-adherence rates were high in this sample of individuals who died by suicide. Potential implications and areas for future research are discussed.

Language: en

Keywords

Suicide; adherence; medication; polypharmacy; psychotropics