Citation

Waterreus A, Di Prinzio P, Badcock JC, Martin-Iverson M, Jablensky A, Morgan VA. Psychopharmacology 2018; 235(8): 2275-2285.

Affiliation

Centre for Clinical Research in Neuropsychiatry, Division of Psychiatry, Medical School, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s00213-018-4924-6

PMID

29766209

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether recent cannabis use by men and women with psychotic disorders was associated with increased risk of suicide attempt, and to determine associated factors, stratified by sex.

METHODS: Data from 1065 men and 725 women interviewed in the Australian national survey of psychosis were analysed to model separately, for each sex, the impact of daily, casual or no past-year cannabis use and other risk factors including age, on a past-year suicide attempt.

RESULTS: In the past year, 168 (9.4%) participants attempted suicide. Unadjusted analyses showed daily cannabis users of both sexes had significantly increased odds of attempting suicide compared to non-users. After adjusting for confounding factors, this relationship was no longer significant. Depression had the strongest association with attempting suicide for both sexes. Sex differences in other risk factors were observed. In post hoc analysis, daily cannabis use was associated with higher odds of attempting suicide in older men compared to non-users; this was not found in younger men or women.

CONCLUSIONS: Associations between past-year cannabis use and suicide attempts were confounded by other factors (depression, loneliness, homelessness and hallucinations). The possibility of greater risk of suicidal behaviour with regular cannabis use for older men should be considered.

Language: en

Keywords

Age; Cannabis; Psychotic disorders; Risk factors; Sex; Suicide attempt