Suicidal Thought and Its Demographic and Psychological Correlates In a Sample of Poly-drug Users

Background: Uncovering and understanding the risk factors and predictors of suicidal thoughts will help in developing suitable prevention and treatment strategies. Methods: A cross-sectional case control descriptive study was carried out to describe socio-demographic and other factors in participants in Al-Baha psychiatric hospital, Saudi Arabia. Participants were in two groups: patients (poly-substance abusers) group (n=122) and control group (n=117). Participants were given psychiatric interview, full physical and neurological examination, routine laboratory test, modified semi-structured questionnaire for the detection of drug intake and an assessment of socio- demographic data. The Arabic version of the Suicidal Probability Scale (SPS) was prepared and standardized for assessment of suicidal probability. Objective: The main objective of the current study was to determine the link between substance abuse and associative factors for suicidal thoughts. Results: Suicidality was highly presented among substance abusers (64.75%) with 22.13% ofcases having at least one suicide attempt. The mean difference in age between control, non- suicidal abuser, and suicidal abuser was significantly high (P 0.01). Most suicidal abusers were single (41.77%) and there was a highly significant difference between groups (P 0.01). A statistically significant difference was found between groups in relation to deterioration of academic or occupational functioning. Family history of suicidal attempt found was greater among suicidal abusers than non-suicidal abusers and control group (30.4%, 23.3%, and 8.5% respectively). The SPS and its four factors: hopelessness, hostility, negative self-concept, and suicidal ideation, were significantly present among substance abusers as compared to the control group. A highly significant difference was also found for the same items in relation to suicide among the three groups. Conclusion: Statistically positive significant correlation was found in relation to age, high altitude residence, academic or occupational deterioration, presence of co-morbid psychiatric diagnosis, positive family history of suicidal attempt, suicidal probability scale and sub-scales of hopelessness and hostility.