ADad 9: Suicidal behavior in Anxiety Disorders among adolescents in a rural community population in India

The risk of suicidal behavior associated with Anxiety Disorders (AD) among adolescents is known. However, concurrent mood disorders complicate these findings, and no data is available from India as well as from the community. This study aimed to address the suicidal risk associated with AD from different perspectives.

The authors prospectively collected data for 500 adolescents in a community with independent, trained raters. Risk for suicidal behavior was measured with SADPERSONS scale, socio-economic status with Modified Kuppuswamy Scale, depression and anxiety disorders with Beck Depression Inventory and Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders respectively. The relationship between predictors and need for preventive action was analyzed with univariate and multivariate regression analyses and a predictive model was built.

Suicidal behavior was increased by the presence of AD (adjusted OR = 6.28), the number of co-morbid AD (adjusted OR = 2.04), severity of the AD (adjusted OR = 4.98). Being a boy increased the risk of suicidal behavior associated with AD (adjusted OR = 9.37), Generalized Anxiety Disorder (adjusted OR = 5.65), Separation Anxiety Disorder (unadjusted OR = 3.28), Social Anxiety Disorder (unadjusted OR = 5.91) while controlling for the confounding effect of Depressive Disorder. Gender did not have an influence on Panic Disorder. Presence of AD and co-morbid Depressive Disorder significantly contributed to a risk model for suicidal behavior.

Anxiety Disorder is associated with the risk for potential suicidal behavior. Adolescent boys with AD and Depressive Disorder need to be identified as the high risk group for suicide prevention in the community.