Association between lifetime headache and history of suicide attempts in the elderly

• Published in: European psychiatry Vol. 41; no. 1; pp. 132 - 139
• Main Authors: Calati, R, Courtet, P, Norton, J, Ritchie, K, Artero, S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Masson SAS 01.03.2017; Cambridge University press
• Subjects: Age Distribution; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Anxiety Disorders - epidemiology; Community Mental health; Comorbidity; Depressive Disorder, Major - epidemiology; Elderly; Female; Headache; Headache - epidemiology; Headache - psychology; Human health and pathology; Humans; Internal Medicine; Life Sciences; Male; Psychiatrics and mental health; Psychiatry; Risk Factors; Risk-Taking; Suicidal Ideation; Suicide; Suicide - psychology; Suicide, Attempted - psychology; Suicide, Attempted - statistics & numerical data; Headache; Community Mental health; Suicide; Elderly
• ISSN: 0924-9338; 1778-3585
• DOI: 10.1016/j.eurpsy.2016.10.009

Abstract Background Pain-related conditions have been reported to play a key role among risk factors for suicide. Headache in particular has been repeatedly associated with suicidal thoughts and behaviors. The aims of this study were: 1) to assess the association between lifetime headache (both non-migrainous headache and migraine) and lifetime suicide attempts (SA); 2) to differentiate, within subjects with lifetime SA, patients with and without lifetime headache in terms of socio-demographic and clinical features. Methods We studied 1965 subjects from a cohort of community-dwelling persons aged 65 years and over without dementia (the ESPRIT study), divided in two groups: those with ( n = 75), and those without a lifetime SA ( n = 1890). Logistic regression analyses were used to compare these groups according to lifetime headache status. Results After adjusting for gender, living alone, tobacco and alcohol consumption, and depressive, manic/hypomanic and anxiety disorders, lifetime headache frequency was significantly higher in subjects with a lifetime SA compared with controls (OR = 1.92 [1.17–3.15]). Additionally, different factors were identified as being associated with lifetime SA in participants with lifetime headache (female gender, a lower level of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, insomnia, lifetime major depression) versus participants without headache (glycemia and lifetime major depression). Conclusions Lifetime headache was associated with lifetime SA. Subjects who are women and report the co-occurrence of headache and insomnia as well as lifetime major depression require higher attention and a careful screening for suicidal thoughts and behaviors.