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Citation
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Boden J, Hetrick S, Bowden N, Fortune S, Marek L, Theodore R, Ruhe T, Kokaua J, Hobbs M. Lancet Reg. Health West. Pac. 2022; 29: e100631. |
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Abstract
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One of the most pressing issues in public health in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ) is our rate of suicide and self-harm, particularly among young people.1 ,2 The 2018 New Zealand Government Inquiry into Mental Health and Addiction recognised the challenge of reducing these rates, and raised the important issue of the role of alcohol and other substance use in increasing suicide risk.1
The link between alcohol and suicidal behaviour is well established. Internationally, acute alcohol use is associated with 10-69% of suicides3 ; NZ is no different. Among 4658 suicides in those aged 15 years or over between July 2007 and December 2020, 26.6% involved heavy alcohol consumption.4 Three aspects of alcohol consumption are pertinent to suicide prevention.5 Firstly, alcohol intoxication has a disinhibiting effect, where peoples' decisions or actions regarding suicidal distress may vary from decisions or actions they would have taken if not intoxicated. Secondly, there are detrimental impacts of binge or disordered drinking on poor mental and physical health, both of which are associated with elevated risk of suicide. Thirdly, the deleterious effect on children and young people exposed to hazardous alcohol use by adults in their lives is an important aspect of suicide prevention.6
Self-harm (intentional self-poisoning or self-injury regardless of degree of suicidal intent) is associated with a greater risk of all-cause mortality and suicide,7 and is particularly concerning as suicide is a leading cause of preventable death in young people in NZ.8 International evidence demonstrates those who reported self-harm at age 16 were nearly twice as likely to report harmful alcohol use at 18 years9 and that heavy episodic drinking is associated with increased risk of self-harm.10
In NZ, longitudinal data shows that alcohol use disorder over the lifecourse predicts suicidal ideation...
Language: en |