Suicidal ideation and thoughts of death in epilepsy patients

Suicidal behavior is an important worldwide health problem. Psychiatric disorders, especially mood disorders, are the main risk factors for suicidal behavior. Suicide is an important cause of death in patients with epilepsy. The aim of this study was to analyze the presence of suicidal ideation in patients with epilepsy.

The study included 50 epilepsy inpatients and outpatients of both genders, aged 18 years and older, treated at the Department of Neurology, Clinical Center University of Sarajevo in the period from 1(st) of April - October 1(st) 2007. The sample was selected randomly. Applied research instruments were general questionnaire, HAM-D-17, BHS and BSS.

Suicidal ideation and thoughts of death were present in 38% epilepsy patients. Symptoms of depression as well as feelings of hopelessness were found in half of the participants (52% and 48%), and were significantly more common in epilepsy patients with suicidal ideation. There was a significant relation of suicidal ideation with the presence of chronic pain (3.86; p=0.49), sexual/physical abuse history (5.95, p=0.015), level of hopelessness (20.7; p=0.000) and severity of depression (14.48; p=0.000) in epilepsy patients. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that unemployment (Exp(B) 33.9; p=0.007) and the level of hopelessness (Exp(B) 14.9; p=0.001) were independently related to suicidal ideation in these patients.

The study has shown that the level of hopelessness and unemployment have a predictive value for appearance of suicidal ideation in epilepsy patients. In the prediction of suicidal ideation in this population of patients, there is no single variable that should be considered as specific and separate.