Age-related differences in the influence of major mental disorders on suicidality: A Korean nationwide community sample

Background We compared the influence of major mental disorders on suicidality according to age, adjusting for suicide-related correlates. Methods This study was based on the Korean national epidemiological survey of mental disorders including community-dwelling adults between 18 and 74 years of age (n=6022). Subjects were classified into three age groups; young (18-39), middle-aged (40-59), and late adulthood (60-74). Face-to-face interviews were conducted using the Korean version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. According to age groups, the influence of major depressive disorder (MDD), anxiety disorder, and alcohol use disorder on risk for suicidality were investigated by multiple logistic regression models adjusting for sex, years of education, marital status, income, employment, presence of chronic medical illness, and lifetime history of suicide attempt. Results After including MDD as a covariate, anxiety disorder remained a risk factor only in the middle-aged group (adjusted OR: 2.83, 95% CI: 1.54-5.22), and alcohol use disorder was a risk factor for suicidality only in the young group (adjusted OR: 2.81, 95% CI: 1.06-7.43). Conversely, MDD was the only mental disorder that significantly increased suicidality in all age groups. Limitations This was a cross-sectional study and did not include subjects over 75 years of age. Conclusion This study showed that the contribution of psychiatric disorders to risk for suicidality varied according to age group. Therefore, strategies for suicide prevention should be specifically designed for different age groups.