Article type: Research Article
Authors: Wesson, Melissaa | Boileau, Nicholas R.b | Perlmutter, Joel S.c; d | Paulsen, Jane S.e | Barton, Stacey K.c | McCormack, Michael K.f; g | Carlozzi, Noelle E.b; *
Affiliations:
[a] Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN, USA
|
[b] Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
|
[c] Department of Neurology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
|
[d] Radiology, Neuroscience, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
|
[e] Neurology, Psychiatry, Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
|
[f] Department of Pathology, Rowan University School of Medicine, Glassboro, NJ, USA
|
[g]
Department of Psychiatry, Rutgers-RWJMS, Piscataway Township, NJ, USA
Correspondence:
[*]
Correspondence to: Noelle E. Carlozzi, PhD, University of Michigan, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, North Campus Research Complex, 2800 Plymouth Road, Building NCRC B14, Room G216, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2800, USA. Tel.: +1 734 763 8917; Fax: +1 734 763 7186; E-mail: carlozzi@med.umich.edu.
Abstract: Background:Huntington disease (HD) is associated with increased risk of suicide. Objective:This study compares suicide ideation in HD to the general population, assesses factors associated with increased prevalence of suicidal thoughts, and compares clinician-rated to self-reported assessments of suicidal ideation. Methods:We examined 496 participants with premanifest or manifest HD. Clinician-rated suicidal ideation was measured using the Problem Behaviors Assessment – short form. Self-reported ideation was measured using two items from the HDQLIFE Concern with Death and Dying item bank. Independent sample t-tests were conducted to compare the prevalence of suicidal thoughts between our HD sample and the U.S. population. Logistic regression analyses were used to determine characteristics associated with higher odds of clinically significant suicidal ideation. Kappa agreement coefficients were calculated to evaluate concurrence between clinician-rated and self-reported assessments. Results:Our sample had a significantly higher occurrence of suicidal ideation (19.76%) and suicidal plans (2.1%) than the general population (p < 0.0001). Odds of clinically significant suicidal ideation were 6.8 times higher in females (p = 0.04) on the clinician measure, and Hispanic/Latinos had 10.9 times higher odds than non-Hispanics (p = 0.025) on the self-report measure. Clinician-rated assessment had fair agreement (k = 0.2–0.4) with self-reported assessments, except in early stage HD where there was no overlap in the identification of participants with clinically significant suicidal ideation. Discussion:Assessment for suicidal ideation and clinically significant suicidal thoughts in HD with a multimodal approach that includes clinician-rated and self-report measures is critical at all stages of the disease.
Keywords: Huntington disease, suicidal ideation, suicide, suicide assessment, comparing methods
DOI: 10.3233/JHD-180299
Journal: Journal of Huntington's Disease, vol. 7, no. 3, pp. 239-249, 2018
