Risk Factors for Suicide Reattempt among Adolescents and Young Adults: The Role of Psychiatric Disorders

Suicidal behaviour among young people is a serious public health concern. Each suicide attempt is related to further suicide attempts and completed suicide. This study aims to explore risk factors associated with repeated suicide attempt among adolescents and young adults. The cohort included 510 patients aged 12-29 years residing in Piedmont Region in North-Western Italy, who had been admitted to hospital or emergency department with a diagnosis of suicide attempt between 2010 and 2020. Cox regression models were used to evaluate potential risk factors for repeated suicide attempt. During the 11-years follow-up, 20.6% of adolescents and young adults repeated suicide attempt, 24.8% of females and 12.3% of males. Nearly 90% of youth who attempted suicide had a diagnosis of psychiatric disorder. After adjustment, younger age of onset of suicidal behaviour, and diagnosis of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depressive disorder, anorexia nervosa and personality disorder were significantly associated with repeated suicide attempt. The early identification of patients at higher risk of repetition of suicidal behaviour is of crucial importance. Better understanding of risk factors and effective treatment of mental disorders could help suicide prevention to reduce the burden of the problem among young people. Special attention should be paid during the initial months following discharge from hospital or emergency department, when suicide reattempt risk is very high.