Perceived helpfulness of medication and psychotherapy among adults with suicidal ideation

Abstract

The objective of the study is to examine perceived helpfulness of medication and psychotherapy among adults with suicidal ideation. Data were drawn from the 2017 Health Barometer, a nationally representative French survey (n = 25,319). Overall, 4.7% (n = 1,148) reported suicidal ideation in the prior 12 months. Logistic regressions were used to examine factors associated with perceived helpfulness among individuals reporting suicidal ideation in the past year who had received medication (n = 590) or psychotherapy (n = 247). Overall, 80.4% (n = 489) reported that medication was/is helpful, and 56.5% (n = 149) reported psychotherapy helped them a lot. In adjusted models, those with major depression were more likely than those without (AOR = 2.18, 95%CI = 1.39–3.421) to perceive medication as helpful. Those with a recent suicide attempt were less likely to report medication as helpful (AOR = 0.42, 95%CI = 0.21–0.84). Receiving psychotherapy was significantly associated with perceived helpfulness of medication (AOR = 1.89, 95%CI = 1.09-3.29). Additional larger studies are needed in France to assess perceived helpfulness by type and adequacy of psychotherapy received.

Keywords:

• Treatment helpfulness
• psychotherapy
• pharmacotherapy
• suicidal ideation

Acknowledgment

No other specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors funded this work. The funder had no role in collection, analysis and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report; and in the decision to submit the article for publication.

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Funding

Helen-Maria Vasiliadis was a visiting scholar, funded by the Initiative d’Excellence (IdEx) of Université de Bordeaux, at the time of the study.