Factors Affecting Emotional Status and Suicidal Risk in Hospitalized Medical Patients

Lee, Jeon Ho; Lee, Jong Ha; Mok, Young Eun; Lee, Ho Jun; Jung, Hyun Gang; Kim, Seung Hyun; Lee, Moon Soo

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
This study aimed to identify the group with high risk of suicide in general hospital inpatient by comparing the depression, anxiety, and distress and their clinical characteristics.
METHODS
The study included all patients admitted to a general hospital between January 2016 and December 2017, and the final 41,249 patients were analyzed. Distress thermometer (DT) and hospital anxiety-depression scale (HADS) were used for emotional state evaluation. Group with high risk of suicide was defined as showing more than 4 in the DT and more than 8 in one of the two subscales (anxiety and depression) of the HADS.
RESULTS
Among the subjects, 3,603 patients (8.7%) met the high-risk criteria for suicide. The group with high risk of suicide experienced more severe pain than the control patient group, and it was found that there was more underlying disease. Patients who reported pain showed higher scores than those who reported no pain on the DT and HADS subscales.
CONCLUSIONS
Group with high risk of suicide showed more severe pain and more underlying disease. Therefore, suicide prevention program specifically targeted for the group with high risk of suicide should be developed according to the risk of the patient evaluated at the time of the admission.