Suicide risk and ideation among patients with substance use disorders in Egypt

ABSTRACT

Background

Patients with substance use disorders are at high risk for suicidal ideas and behaviors. Prevention of suicide among these patients should be a public health priority.

Objective

The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence and correlates of suicidal ideas and suicide risk among patients with substance use disorders.

Methods

This study included 100 patients with substance use disorders who sought treatment at Zagazig University hospital, Egypt. All participants were interviewed using Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition-Text-Revised and rated by Beck Suicide Scale. Drug-related problems were assessed using the Arabic version of Addiction Severity Index. Urine screen for drugs was done for all patients participated in the study.

Results

Twenty-seven percent of the patients with substance use disorders had suicidal ideas, 22% had suicide risk, and 9% had history of suicidal attempts. Females were 5 times more likely to have suicide risk than males. Unemployed patients were three times more likely to have suicide risk than employed or skilled workers. There was an association between suicide risk and heroin use and alcohol dependence and patients with positive family history of suicide. .

Conclusions

Suicidal ideas and suicide risk were common among patients with substance use disorders. Female gender, unemployment, heroin use, and alcohol dependence and positive family history of suicide were predictors of suicide ideation and risk in patients with substance use disorders.

KEYWORDS:

• Suicide
• substance use
• addiction
• Egypt

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.