Proposal for the Inclusion of Tobacco Use in Suicide Risk Scales: Results of a Meta-Analysis

Iván Echeverria, Miriam Cotaina, Antonio Jovani, Rafael Mora, Gonzalo Haro and Ana Benito
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Iván Echeverria: TXP Research Group, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, 12006 Castellón, Spain
Miriam Cotaina: TXP Research Group, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, 12006 Castellón, Spain
Antonio Jovani: TXP Research Group, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, 12006 Castellón, Spain
Rafael Mora: Department of Mental Health, Consorcio Hospitalario Provincial de Castellón, 12002 Castellón, Spain
Gonzalo Haro: TXP Research Group, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, 12006 Castellón, Spain
Ana Benito: TXP Research Group, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, 12006 Castellón, Spain

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 11, 1-15

Abstract: There is an association between smoking and suicide, even though the direction and nature of this relationship remains controversial. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the association between smoking and suicidal behaviours (ideation, planning, suicide attempts, and death by suicide). On 24 August 2020, we searched the PubMed, Cochrane library, Scopus, Web of Science, TRIP, and SCIENCE DIRECT databases for relevant articles on this topic. Twenty prospective cohort studies involving 2,457,864 participants were included in this meta-analysis. Compared with never smokers, former and current smokers had an increased risk of death by suicide (relative risk [RR] = 1.31; 95% CI [1.13, 1.52] and RR = 2.41; 95% CI [2.08, 2.80], respectively), ideation (RR = 1.35; 95% CI [1.31, 1.39] and RR = 1.84; 95% CI [1.21, 2.78]), and attempted suicide (RR = 1.27; 95% CI [0.56, 2.87] and RR = 1.71; 95% CI [0.73, 3.97]). Moreover, compared to never smokers, current smoker women (RR = 2.51; 95% CI [2.06–3.04] had an increased risk of taking their own life ( Q = 13,591.53; p < 0.001) than current smoker men (RR = 2.06; 95% CI [1.62–2.62]. Furthermore, smoking exposure (former and current smokers) was associated with a 1.74-fold increased risk (95% CI [1.54, 1.96]) of suicidal behaviour (death by suicide, ideation, planning, or attempts). Thus, because of the prospective relationship between smoking and suicidal behaviours, smoking should be included in suicide risk scales as a useful and easy item to evaluate suicide risk.

Keywords: suicide; suicidal behaviours; smoking; tobacco; nicotine; prospective; meta-analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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