Adolescent Anxiety Disorders and Risk for Suicidality in the Taiwan National Psychiatric Morbidity Survey
Date Issued
2008
Date
2008
Author(s)
Huang, Ya-Fen
Abstract
Objectives: anxiety disorders have been shown to be the most prevalent mental disorders among adolescents, while suicide is one of the leading causes of death among adolescents in many countries. However, whether anxiety disorders alone contribute to increased risk of suicidality in adolescents has been rarely evaluated, particularly in a nationally representative sample. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence and correlates of several anxiety disorders as well as suicidality among Taiwanese adolescents. The association between anxiety disorders and suicidality was also examined. Methods: subjects were selected via the household of participants in a nationally representative, face-to-face mental health survey for residents 18 years or older, conducted during 2003-2005 in Taiwan, which was implemented using the same methodology of the World Mental Health Survey by the World Health Organization (WHO). Adolescents aged 12-17 years living in a participant’s household were recruited and interviewed with the adolescent version of the WHO Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Diagnoses were based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV). Prevalence estimation and logistic regression analysis with post-stratification weights was conducted using statistical software STATA 8.0. Results: among 1117 adolescent respondents, the lifetime prevalence of anxiety psychopathology was: 36.5% (SE, 1.5) for core symptoms, 12.3% (SE, 1.0) for clinical syndromes, and 1.9% (SE, 0.4) for DSM-IV diagnoses. Few people suffering from significant anxiety had look for professional help. The risk of anxiety psychopathology increased with female gender, poorer self-perceived physical or mental health state, major depression, oppositional-defiant disorder, and suicidal ideation. The overall lifetime prevalence of suicidality was 3.7% (SE, 0.6), with significant gender and slight age differences. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that anxiety disorders were significantly associated with increasing risk of suicidality among adolescents in Taiwan, independent from the effect of major depressive disorder, substance use disorders and disorders with impulse control problems. Conclusions: both anxiety syndromes and suicidality were frequently reported among Taiwanese adolescents, and several anxiety disorders were associated with increased risk for suicidality independently from other psychopathologies. The results indicate that more aggressive mental health promotion and disease prevention programs directed to anxiety disorders are warranted, with special attention on increasing disease awareness and help-seeking.
Subjects
Taiwan
adolescents
survey
anxiety disorder
suicide
SDGs
Type
thesis
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