Citation

Diefenbach GJ, Woolley SB, Goethe JW. J. Nerv. Ment. Dis. 2009; 197(2): 92-97.

Affiliation

Anxiety Disorders Center, Institute of Living/Hartford Hospital, Hartford, CT 06106, USA. gdiefen@harthosp.org

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/NMD.0b013e318196127c

PMID

19214043

Abstract

This cross-sectional study assessed the association between self-reported anxiety symptoms and self-reported suicidality among a mixed diagnostic sample of psychiatric outpatients. Data were obtained from chart review of 2,778 outpatients who completed a routine diagnostic clinical interview and a standardized self-report of psychiatric symptoms on admission. Bivariate analyses indicated that those with >or= moderate anxiety symptoms were over three times as likely to report >or= moderate difficulty with suicidality. Self-reported anxiety symptoms were associated with a 2-fold increased likelihood of reporting suicidality after controlling for confounding (demographics, depressive symptoms, and diagnoses). These data are consistent with a growing literature demonstrating an association between anxiety symptoms and suicidality, and suggest that this association is not accounted for by coexisting mood symptoms or diagnoses. A single item, self-report may be a useful screening tool for symptoms that are pertinent to assessment of suicide risk.

Language: en