Terapia de Aceptación y Compromiso en conducta suicida: una revisión sistemática / Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on suicidal behavior: a systematic review

El suicidio se ha convertido en un problema social y de salud pública a nivel mundial. En este sentido, la Terapia de Aceptación y Compromiso (ACT) podría ser eficaz en su abordaje, existiendo evidencia sobre la relación entre algunos de sus componentes y la conducta suicida. Así, el presente estudio tuvo por objetivo realizar una revisión sistemática sobre la eficacia de ACT en conducta suicida. Para ello se siguió el protocolo PRISMA, empleando las siguientes bases de datos: PsycInfo, PubMed, Scopus y PsicoDoc. Inicialmente se obtuvieron 108 publicaciones potencialmente relevantes, de las cuales, finalmente, 13 fueron incluidas en la revisión. La calidad de los estudios se analizó a través de un instrumento de evaluación de riesgo de sesgos. Como resultados, a nivel general se observaron disminuciones estadísticamente significativas en ideación suicida (IS) y factores de riesgo de suicidio. Además, algunos estudios señalaron relaciones estadísticamente significativas entre un aumento de flexibilidad psicológica y la disminución de IS. Si bien los datos apuntaron a una posible eficacia de ACT en la reducción de IS, es necesario llevar a cabo mayor número de estudios experimentales que contemplen la complejidad de la conducta suicida y exploren los procesos de cambio implicados.(AU)

Suicide has emerged as a pressing global issue affecting both so-ciety and public health.In this context, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) could prove effective in its approach, supported by evi-dence of the relationship between certain components of ACT and suicidal behavior. Thus, the present study aims to conduct a systematic review on the efficacy of ACT in suicidal behavior. For this, the PRISMA protocol was followed, using thefollowing databases: PsycInfo, PubMed, Scopus and PsicoDoc. Initially, 108 potentially relevant publicationswereobtained,13ofwhichwerefinallyincludedinthereview.Weanalyzedstudy qualityus-ingariskofbiasassessmentinstrument.Asaresult,statisticallysignificantdecreases in suicidal ideation (SI) and suicide risk factors were observed. In addition, some studies indicated statistically significant relationships be-tween increased psychological flexibility and decreasedSI.WhilethedatasuggestedthepotentialeffectivenessofACTinreducingsuicidal ideation (SI), more experimental studies are needed to consider the complexity of suicidal behavior and explore the processes of changeinvolved.(AU)

Manejo cirúrgico de ferimento auto-infligido por arma de fogo em região maxilofacial / Surgical management of self-inflicted injury by gun in the maxillofacial region

INTRODUÇÃO: O manejo dos pacientes vítimas de PAF possui vertentes divergentes a respeito do tratamento cirúrgico, que pode ser realizado de forma imedata ou tardia. Em lesões auto-infligidas, a distância entre a arma e a região acometida é menor, causando consequências estéticas e funcionais mais devastadoras. Aliado ao fato desse tipo de trauma criar uma ferida suja devido à comunicação com a cavidade oral e seios paranasais, o manejo das lesões representam um desafio mesmo à cirurgiões experientes. OBJETIVO: Estre trabalho relata o manejo cirúrgico de uma ferida auto-infligida por arma de fogo que resultou em avulsão dos tecidos moles na região maxilofacial. DESCRIÇÃO DO CASO: Paciente do sexo masculino, 35 anos, vítima de projétil de arma de fogo auto-infligido em região maxilofacial, cursando com extenso ferimento em região de língua e mento. Clinicamente, o paciente não apresentava sinais de fratura em ossos da face. Ambos os ferimentos apresentavam secreção purulenta e o paciente manifestava disfonia devido a grande destruição tecidual. CONSIDERAÇÕES FINAIS: O tratamento de ferimentos por arma de fogo não só é um grande desafio para o cirurgião, como para toda a equipe multidisciplinar requerida para tais casos, visto que não há protocolos bem definidos para o tratamento dessas lesões(AU)

INTRODUCTION: The management of patients who are victims of FAP has divergent aspects regarding surgical treatment, which can be performed immediately or late. In self-inflicted injuries, the distance between the weapon and the affected region is smaller, causing more devastating aesthetic and functional consequences. Allied to the fact that this type of trauma creates a dirty wound due to the communication with the oral cavity and paranasal sinuses, the management of injuries represents a challenge even for experienced surgeons. OBJECTIVE: This paper reports the surgical management of a self-inflicted gunshot wound that resulted in soft tissue avulsion in the maxillofacial region. CASE DESCRIPTION: Male patient, 35 years old, victim of a self-inflicted firearm projectile in the maxillofacial region, coursing with extensive injury in the region of the tongue and chin. Clinically, the patient did not show signs of facial bone fractures. Both wounds had purulent secretion and the patient had dysphonia due to extensive tissue destruction. FINAL CONSIDERATIONS: The treatment of gunshot wounds is not only a great challenge for the surgeon, but also for the entire multidisciplinary team required for such cases, since there are no well-defined protocols for the treatment of these injuries(AU)

Abriendo puertas para la vida: Programa de prevención de conductas suicidas a través de docentes Gatekeepers / Opening doors to life: A suicidal behavior prevention program involving Gatekeeper teachers / Abrindo portas para a vida: Programa de prevenção ao comportamento suicida por meio de professores Gatekeepers

Introducción: El suicidio es la tercera causa de muerte de jóvenes entre 15 y 19 años. Ante esto, los ambientes escolares pueden favorecer el fomento de la salud mental de los adolescentes, permitir la identificación temprana de factores de riesgo y aportar en la prevención de conductas suicidas. Una de las estrategias de prevención es el entrenamiento de "gatekeepers". Objetivo: Determinar el efecto del programa "Abriendo Puertas para la Vida" sobre conocimientos, actitudes y prácticas en prevención de conductas suicidas en un grupo de profesores de secundaria de una institución educativa de San Juan de Pasto, Colombia. Materiales y métodos: Estudio preexperimental, con un grupo de intervención y medidas pre y pos-seguimiento. Participaron nueve docentes voluntarios durante dos jornadas de formación. Resultados: Se identificaron cambios positivos en conocimientos, actitudes y prácticas de los participantes entre pretest y postest, en la mayoría de las subdimensiones evaluadas; sin embargo, tres años después, estos cambios se mantuvieron tan solo en conocimientos sobre las conductas suicidas y en actitudes hacia la prevención. Conclusión: El programa "Abriendo Puertas para la Vida" evidenció efectividad y pertinencia, sin embargo, el mantenimiento de sus efectos requiere de acciones de seguimiento y acompañamiento a los docentes formados.

Introduction: Suicide is the third cause of death in young people aged between 15 to 19 years. Thus, school environments can promote mental health of adolescents through early identification of risk factors and prevention of suicidal behaviors. One prevention strategy is the training of "gatekeepers". Objective: To determine the impact of the "Opening Doors to Life" program on the knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding prevention of suicidal behavior in a set of high school teachers from an educational institution in San Juan de Pasto, Colombia. Materials and methods: A pre-experimental study with an intervention group and pre- and post-follow-up measurements. Nine volunteer teachers participated during two training sessions. Results: Positive changes regarding knowledge, attitudes, and practices of the participants during pretest and posttest were observed for the majority of evaluated sub-dimensions. However, after three years, the positive measures prevailed only for knowledge about suicidal behavior and attitudes toward prevention. Conclusion: The "Opening Doors to Life" program showed effectiveness and relevance. However, maintaining its impact requires follow-up actions and support of trained teachers.

Introdução: O suicídio é a terceira causa de morte de jovens entre 15 e 19 anos. Diante disso, os ambientes escolares podem promover a promoção da saúde mental em adolescentes, permitir a identificação precoce de fatores de risco e contribuir para a prevenção do comportamento suicida. Uma das estratégias de prevenção é a formação de "gatekeepers". Objetivo: Determinar o efeito do programa "Abrindo Portas para a Vida" nos conhecimentos, atitudes e práticas na prevenção do comportamento suicida em um grupo de professores do ensino médio de uma instituição educacional em San Juan de Pasto, Colômbia. Materiais e métodos: Estudo pré-experimental, com grupo de intervenção e medidas pré e pós-acompanhamento. Nove professores voluntários participaram durante dois dias de treinamento. Resultados: Foram identificadas mudanças positivas nos conhecimentos, atitudes e práticas dos participantes entre o pré-teste e o pós-teste, na maioria das subdimensões avaliadas; porém, três anos depois, essas mudanças se mantiveram apenas no conhecimento sobre comportamentos suicidas e atitudes frente à prevenção. Conclusão: O programa "Abrindo Portas para a Vida" mostrou efetividade e relevância, porém, a manutenção de seus efeitos requer ações de acompanhamento e apoio a professores capacitados.

Suicides among construction workers in the United States, 2021.

BACKGROUND: Construction workers have the second highest suicide death rate; despite this, there is limited literature examining suicides in the industry, which is necessary to identify those at higher risk of death by suicide. The objective of this study was to examine the characteristics of those who died by suicide in construction to address this knowledge gap. METHODS: Data from the National Center for Health Statistics National Vital Statistics System 2021 public use Mortality Multiple Cause-of-Death file were used to identify deaths by suicide, while denominator data for rates come from the 2021 Current Population Survey. RESULTS: In 2021, construction workers were disproportionately affected by suicide deaths. Almost a fifth (17.9%) of deaths by suicide with a reported industry code were in construction, despite construction workers accounting for only 7.4% of the workforce. Male construction workers accounted for a majority (97.8%) of suicide deaths. The highest percent of deaths by suicide were among individuals who were white, non-Hispanic, completed high school or equivalent, and single, across construction and all industries for males and females. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Male and female construction workers had the highest rates of suicide across all characteristics when compared to all industries. Our findings support the need for ongoing prevention efforts within the industry. Future research is needed to understand suicide risk among certain characteristics and occupations. In addition, the work environment or other work-related factors should be studied to understand how the unique nature of the construction industry may be associated with higher suicide rates.

Impacts of Telehealth Adoption on the Quality of Care for Individuals With Serious Mental Illness: Retrospective Observational Analysis of Veterans Affairs Administrative Data.

Background: Telehealth implementation can be challenging for persons with serious mental illness (SMI), which may impact their quality of care and health outcomes. The literature on telehealth's impacts on SMI care outcomes is mixed, necessitating further investigation. Objective: We examined the impacts of facility-level telehealth adoption on quality of care metrics over time among patients with SMI. Methods: We analyzed Veterans Affairs (VA) administrative data across 138 facilities from January 2021 to December 2022. We performed longitudinal mixed-effects regressions to identify the relationships between the proportion of facility-level telehealth visits and SMI specialty care quality metrics: engagement with primary care; access and continuity of care across a range of mental health services including psychotherapy or psychosocial rehabilitation, SMI-specific intensive outpatient programs, and intensive case management; and continuity of mental health care after a high-risk event (eg, suicide attempt). Results: Facilities with a higher proportion of telehealth visits had reduced access and continuity of physical and mental health care for patients with SMI (P<.05). Higher telehealth adoption was associated with reduced primary care engagement (z=-4.04; P<.001), reduced access to and continuity in SMI-specific intensive case management (z=-4.49; P<.001; z=-3.15; P<.002), reductions in the continuity of care within psychotherapy and psychosocial rehabilitation (z=-3.74; P<.001), and continuity of care after a high-risk event (z=-2.46; P<.01). Telehealth uptake initially increased access to intensive outpatient but did not improve its continuity over time (z=-4.47; P<.001). Except for continuity within SMI-specific intensive case management (z=2.62; P<.009), continuity did not improve over time as telehealth became routinized. Conclusions: Although telehealth helped preserve health care access during the pandemic, telehealth may have tradeoffs with regard to quality of care for some individuals with SMI. These data suggest that engagement strategies used by SMI-specific intensive case management may have preserved quality and could benefit other settings. Strategies that enhance telehealth implementation-selected through a health equity lens-may improve quality of care among patients with SMI.

Emotional reactivity and past self-injurious behavior moderate the association between trauma exposure and fearlessness about death.

INTRODUCTION: As suicide remains a global public health concern, recent work has sought to characterize mechanisms underlying the transition from suicidal ideation to action. Acquired capability for suicide, or fearlessness about death, has been identified as one key factor underlying this transition; however, understanding how this capability emerges remains limited. This study sought to extend previous work on the correlates of fearlessness about death by examining its relationship with painful and provocative events and emotional reactivity. METHODS: We tested the extent to which trait emotional reactivity and past self-injurious behavior moderated the relationship between assaultive trauma exposure and fearlessness about death in a diverse sample of 273 community adults (aged 18-55, M/SD = 32.77/10.78). RESULTS: A three-way interaction emerged, such that among individuals with heightened emotional reactivity and a history of self-injurious behavior (suicide attempt or non-suicidal self-injury), assaultive trauma was associated with increased fearlessness about death. In contrast, among adults with low emotional reactivity and a history of self-injurious behavior, assaultive trauma was associated with reduced fearlessness about death. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that emotional reactivity may be a key dispositional factor that influences how trauma exposure and self-injurious behavior impact fearlessness about death.

Study on Awareness of Suicide and Suicide Prevention Among Community Youth.

Objectives: South Korea has the highest suicide rate among Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries; there is an increasing trend in suicide attempts among middle and high school students. Various factors contribute to the risk of suicide among adolescents, and the perception of suicide prevention has emerged as a significant factor. This study aimed to investigate the association between emotional and behavioral difficulties among middle and high school students and their perceptions of suicide prevention and to explore differences in suicide perception according to age. Methods: A survey was conducted among community middle and high school students, including 530 participants, between 2020 and 2021. Emotional and behavioral difficulties were assessed using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire-Korean version, and participants were asked to complete a questionnaire on the importance and possibility of suicide prevention. A correlation test and analysis of variance were used to examine the relationships between the variables, and suicide awareness was compared according to age. Results: The participants who displayed higher strength or lower difficulty were more likely to respond positively to suicide prevention measures. They also exhibited high strength and low difficulty levels, thus agreeing with the importance of suicide prevention. Regarding age-related perceptions of suicide, adults aged 20-29 years reported the lowest probability of suicide prevention. Conclusion: Suicide perceptions influence the incidence of suicide. Therefore, active societal engagement through suicide prevention campaigns and related education is essential to improve such perceptions. Continuous attention and support are required to address this issue.

Hypoimmunogenic human iPSCs expressing HLA-G, PD-L1, and PD-L2 evade innate and adaptive immunity.

BACKGROUND: The human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) can generate all the cells composing the human body, theoretically. Therefore, hiPSCs are thought to be a candidate source of stem cells for regenerative medicine. The major challenge of allogeneic hiPSC-derived cell products is their immunogenicity. The hypoimmunogenic cell strategy is allogenic cell therapy without using immune suppressants. Advances in gene engineering technology now permit the generation of hypoimmunogenic cells to avoid allogeneic immune rejection. In this study, we generated a hypoimmunogenic hiPSC (HyPSC) clone that had diminished expression of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class Ia and class II and expressed immune checkpoint molecules and a safety switch. METHODS: First, we generated HLA class Ia and class II double knockout (HLA class Ia/II DKO) hiPSCs. Then, a HyPSC clone was generated by introducing exogenous ß-2-microglobulin (B2M), HLA-G, PD-L1, and PD-L2 genes, and the Rapamycin-activated Caspase 9 (RapaCasp9)-based suicide gene as a safety switch into the HLA class Ia/II DKO hiPSCs. The characteristics and immunogenicity of the HyPSCs and their derivatives were analyzed. RESULTS: We found that the expression of HLA-G on the cell surface can be enhanced by introducing the exogenous HLA-G gene along with B2M gene into HLA class Ia/II DKO hiPSCs. The HyPSCs retained a normal karyotype and had the characteristics of pluripotent stem cells. Moreover, the HyPSCs could differentiate into cells of all three germ layer lineages including CD45+ hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs), functional endothelial cells, and hepatocytes. The HyPSCs-derived HPCs exhibited the ability to evade innate and adaptive immunity. Further, we demonstrated that RapaCasp9 could be used as a safety switch in vitro and in vivo. CONCLUSION: The HLA class Ia/II DKO hiPSCs armed with HLA-G, PD-L1, PD-L2, and RapaCasp9 molecules are a potential source of stem cells for allogeneic transplantation.

Suicidal ideation and suicide attempts among students aged 12 to 24 after the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions in China: prevalence and associated factors.

Objective: To investigate the prevalence and associated factors of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts among adolescent and young adults in China from December 14, 2022 to February 28, 2023, when COVID-19 restrictions were lifted. Methods: Students in middle and high schools and colleges and universities in the province of Sichuan, China were asked to complete on-line cross-sectional surveys. Information was collected about sociodemographics, experiences related to the COVID-19 pandemic, suicidal ideation and suicide attempts. Participants also filled out the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 and the Social Support Rate Scale surveys. Factors associated with suicidal ideation or suicide attempts were explored using logistic regression. Results: Of the 82,873 respondents (aged 12 to 24 years), 21,292 (25.7%) reported having thought of suicide at least once in their lifetime, 10,382 (12.5%) reported having thought about suicide within the previous 12 months, and 1,123 (1.4%) reported having attempted it within the previous 12 months. Risk of lifetime suicidal ideation was higher among middle school students than among older students. Risk of suicidal ideation and risk of suicide attempts correlated directly with severity of symptoms of depression and anxiety, and inversely with level of social support. Greater risk of suicidal ideation and suicidal attempts was associated with: being female, living in an urban environment, attending a boarding school, currently being in love, having parents who divorced or remarried, having parents who exhibit non-authoritative parenting behavior, having higher family income, having been COVID-19 infected, having been quarantined for a long time, and being dissatisfied with one's education. Conclusions: Suicidal ideation and suicide attempts remain prevalent among young people in China. The potential associated factors identified in our study may be useful for targeting appropriate psychosocial interventions and developing mental health policies.

Unmasking Negative Pressure Pulmonary Edema Following Hanging: A Case Series.

Pulmonary edema is a rare mechanism of death that develops after partial hanging, a potential complication that physicians should consider early in the management of these patients. This case series discusses the presentation, evaluation, and treatment course of three patients who had attempted suicide by hanging and were admitted to the hospital. These patients were admitted to the intensive care unit after being stabilized and supportive treatment was provided. In all the cases, a radiological scan of the chest revealed diffuse infiltrates consistent with pulmonary edema on both sides, features of which were also noted during a diagnostic bronchoscopy. After providing the best intensive care in the hospital, two patients clinically improved, and one patient succumbed to cardiac arrest. As most patients will be brought dead to the hospital following hanging, negative pressure pulmonary edema remains underdiagnosed. Thus, this case series enumerates the possible etiologies of negative pressure pulmonary edema and its contribution to death following suicidal hanging.

Lifetime use of multiple substances and youth suicide risk: assessing the role of depressive symptoms using structural equation modeling.

OBJECTIVES: This study assessed the direct and indirect effects (via depressive symptoms) of lifetime use of a broad range of substances on suicide risk among US adolescents. STUDY DESIGN: This was a cross-sectional study. METHODS: Data from the 2021 Youth Risk Behavior Survey were used (N = 12,303, 48.7% female). Associations between five types of substance use (cigarette, e-cigarette, alcohol, marijuana, and prescription pain medicine) and three dimensions of suicide risk (suicidal ideation, suicide plan, and suicide attempt) were measured by multivariate logistic regression models. The role of depressive symptoms was further examined by structural equation modeling. RESULTS: Almost three in five (57.5%) adolescents had used one or more substances in their lifetime (18.1% one type, 12.2% two types, 13.1% three types, 10.2% four types, and 3.8% five types). Adolescents using five substances were up to 16 times more likely to experience suicidal ideation and behaviors. Depressive symptoms significantly linked the pathway from substance use to suicide risk, resulting in much stronger indirect effects than the direct effects. Collectively, the five substance use behaviors and depressive symptoms explained about 60.4% of variance in suicidal ideation, 53.6% of variance in suicide plan, and 55.0% of variance in suicide attempt. CONCLUSIONS: Lifetime use of multiple substances is significantly correlated with suicidal ideation and behaviors among adolescents via the pathway of depressive symptoms. Routine screening for a broad range of substance use behaviors is needed to identify adolescents at risk for suicide and accessible mental health services could potentially attenuate the linkage between substance use and suicide risk.

Incidence rate and risk factors for suicide in patients with breast cancer in the USA: A surveillance, epidemiology, and end results analysis (SEER).

PURPOSE: To investigate suicide mortality and the related factors among female breast cancer patients in the United States. METHODS: The SEER database was used to identify 716,422 patients diagnosed with breast cancer between 2010 and 2018 to calculate a standardized mortality rate (SMR). An analysis of risk factors for suicide death was conducted using the univariate and multivariate Cox proportional risk model. An estimation of suicide probability was performed through a nomogram model. RESULTS: Compared with the expected suicide cases (n = 155) in the general population of the United States at the corresponding period (a suicide death rate of 5.71 per 100,000 person-years), the suicide rate among 716,422 breast cancer patients was followed during 2010-2018 and showed a relatively higher rate of 9.02 per 100,000 person-years. The SMR was 1.58 (95%CI: 1.39-1.79). White and other races were nine and seven times more likely to complete suicide than Black race, respectively (aHR = 9.013, 95%CI: 3.335-24.36, P < 0.001; aHR = 7.129, 95%CI: 2.317-21.931, P = 0.001); unmarried or single patients were at higher risk than married patients (aHR = 1.693, 95%CI: 1.206-2.377, P = 0.002). Patients receiving radiotherapy (aHR = 0.731, 95%CI: 0.545-0.980, P = 0.036) were less likely to complete suicide than those who did not. CONCLUSION: Female breast cancer patients in the United States have a higher suicide rate than the general public, and the risk factors consist of non-black ethnicity, being single or unmarried, and not being treated with radiotherapy. As a result of this study, clinicians may be able to identify female breast cancer patients who are at high risk of suicide, thus providing appropriate psychological support at the early stage.

Screen exposure, mental health and emotional well-being in the adolescent population: is it time for governments to take action?

During the last decade, a multitude of epidemiological studies with different designs have been published assessing the association between the use of digital media and psychological well-being, including the incidence of mental disorders and suicidal behaviours. Particularly, available research has very often focused on smartphone use in teenagers, with highly addictive potential, coining the term 'problematic smartphone use' and developing specific scales to measure the addictive or problematic use of smartphones. Available studies, despite some methodological limitations and gaps in knowledge, suggest that higher screen time is associated with impaired psychological well-being, lower self-esteem, higher levels of body dissatisfaction, higher incidence of eating disorders, poorer sleeping outcomes and higher odds of depressive symptoms in adolescents. Moreover, a significant association has also been found between screen time and higher suicide risk. Finally, problematic pornography has been shown to be highly prevalent and it is a strong cause of concern to many public health departments and national governments because it might be eventually associated with aggressive sexual behaviours.

Gender difference in the relationship between clinical symptoms, thyroid hormones, and metabolic parameters in young, first-episode and drug-naïve major depressive disorder patients with suicide attempts: A network analysis perspective.

BACKGROUND: Suicide attempts are one of the most serious comorbidities in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), and the prevalence of suicide attempts is higher in younger people compared to older people, with significant gender differences. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between suicide attempts, clinical symptoms, thyroid hormones, and metabolic parameters in young first-episode and drug-naïve (FEND) MDD patients of different genders. METHODS: A total of 1289 FEND MDD patients were recruited. Depression, anxiety, and psychotic symptoms were assessed using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD), Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAMA), and the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) positive subscale, respectively. Thyroid hormones and glucolipid metabolism indicators were also tested. Network analysis was employed to delineate the interplay between thyroid dysfunction, clinical symptoms, and metabolic disorders. RESULTS: Among young FEND MDD patients, the rate of suicide attempts was 17.4% in males and 19.8% in females, showing no significant gender difference in the incidence of suicide attempts (χ2 = 1.06, p = 0.303). In the network model, PANSS positive subscale (Expected Influence = 0.578) and HAMD scores (Expected Influence = 0.576) were identified as the individual symptoms that most affected male patients, whereas TSH (Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone) (Expected Influence = 0.972) and PANSS positive subscale (Expected Influence = 0.937) were identified as the individual symptoms that most affected female patients. In addition, we found that TSH (Expected Influence = 0.438) was a pivotal node connecting metabolic disturbances and clinical symptoms. CONCLUSION: Our findings emphasize the important role of psychotic symptoms in young MDD patients with suicide attempts. Moreover, our results highlight the pivotal role of serum TSH levels in the pathophysiology of young female MDD patients with suicide attempts.

The Commonwealth Criminal Code: Will It Restrict Access to Voluntary Assisted Dying in South Australia And Is There a Way Forward?

South Australia's Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 2021 commenced operation on 31 January 2023. However, ss 474.29A and 474.29B of the Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth) prohibit the use of "carriage services" to promote or provide instructions about suicide and may impede access to voluntary assisted dying (VAD). Attempts to clarify whether VAD is suicide have been unsuccessful and doctors risk prosecution if they use telehealth to participate in VAD. This article examines specific steps in the VAD pathway that are likely to breach the federal law. Although there have been attempts to clarify what information can permissibly be discussed using a carriage service, doctors risk breaching the federal law at multiple stages of the VAD process. This article concludes arguing that this conflict of laws must be resolved and calls upon the Commonwealth Government to amend the Criminal Code to exclude VAD from the definition of suicide.

Demographic and clinical profile of adolescents suicide attempters admitted to an emergency department during the COVID-19 pandemic - a retrospective cohort study using hospital information system.

Background: The prevalence of suicidal attempts among adolescents during COVID-19 significantly increased compared with pre-pandemic estimates. The aim of the study was to explore the demographic and clinical profile of adolescent suicide attempters admitted to the emergency department during the COVID-19 pandemic. Material and method: The retrospective analysis included, on the basis of electronic medical records in the CliniNet system, sociodemographic and clinical data of patients aged 10-18 years with a diagnosis of suicide attempt. Follow-up period: from March 20, 2020 to May 16, 2023. Results: During the COVID-19 pandemic, there were 425 emergency department visits among adolescents aged 11-17 due to a suicide attempt, with the largest number in the 15-17 (69%) age range. The percentage of emergency department visits was higher among females (80%) and urban residents (75.3%). Self-poisoning was the most common cause of suicide attempts (52.4%), followed by self-harm (41.4%), hanging (3.2%) and jumping from a height (2.1%). The most common toxic substances in self-poisonings were antidepressants and antipsychotics, followed by paracetamol. About 70% of visits were associated with adolescent mental disorders, of which depressive disorder was the most common. One death per 425 visits was recorded (0.2%). Conclusions: Adolescents attempting suicide during COVID-19 were most likely female, aged 15-17, city dwellers, undergoing psychiatric treatment mainly for depressive disorders. The mental health consequences of the pandemic may be more long term, and further monitoring will be needed in the years to come.

Risk factors and methods in suicides of elderly patients connected to mental health services from 1999-2024.

Introduction: Suicide prevention is an important aspect of psychiatric care, with older men being a population identified at especially high suicide risk and a recent increase in suicides among older women. Methods: Using data collected by the region's quality assurance team, we examined all suicide deaths occurring between March 1999 and February 2024 in patients aged 60 years or older who were connected to the region's Addiction and Mental Health Program at the time of death. Data were analyzed to describe which factors were most commonly identified in suicides in older adults receiving mental healthcare. We also compared male and female cases to determine whether certain factors were more commonly observed in one gender. Results: We identified 48 cases of suicide occurring in patients aged 60 or over. 60% of suicides occurred in males. Overdose and hanging were the most common suicide methods used, and all suicides occurring on inpatient units occurred via hanging. Depression was the most common diagnosis, and was diagnosed more frequently in suicides of female older adults. A greater proportion of suicides in older women were associated with previous history of suicide attempts. Discussion: Our findings support many current best practices for suicide prevention in psychiatric care, including minimizing ligatures and anchor points on inpatient settings, assessing for and limiting access to means in individuals at-risk, and assessing suicide risk in hospitalized patients prior to passes and discharge. Recognition and treatment of depression remain important aspects in the treatment of older adults to prevent suicide.

Suicide Following a Near-Death Experience.

Background: Sometimes during real or presumed life-threatening and/or near-death circumstances, an individual undergoes an altered state of consciousness referred to as a near-death experience (NDE). The prevalent position in the field of NDE research for the last several decades has been that such experiences result in positive antisuicidal attitudes and that it is highly unlikely that experients will try to kill themselves afterward. In addition, the important consideration of passive suicidal ideation is neglected in NDE research. Aims: To question the premature assumption that people are highly unlikely to die by suicide after an NDE. Method: Four case studies of suicide after an NDE are provided and examined. Results: Although important quantitative data are still needed, it can no longer be argued that people do not die by suicide after an NDE. Limitations: Only four cases were available for examination, and the degree of impact that the NDE had on their suicide is uncertain. Conclusion: Much more research is needed on suicide risk post NDE. In the meantime, the NDE should not be ignored in suicide assessments, but therapists and other relevant professionals need to be attentive to any possible indications of either active or passive suicidal ideation post NDE.