Department of Social Work and Social Administration, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
Hong Kong Jockey Club Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
Psychooncology. 2021 Jul;30(7):1051-1058. doi: 10.1002/pon.5634. Epub 2021 Mar 2.
Cancer patients have elevated suicide risk compared to the general population. However, little is known about the characteristics of cancer patients who have died by suicide. The objectives of the study were to compare the characteristics of suicide cases with, and without cancer, and determine whether age was associated with differences in characteristics.
A total of 14,446 suicide cases between 2003 and 2017 in Hong Kong were identified using Coroner's Court reports. Cases were grouped by cancer status, based on medical history in the reports. Information extracted from the reports included sociodemographic variables and detailed descriptions of the suicide event. Univariate analyses and overall and subgroup multiple logistic regressions were performed to compare characteristics between the two groups.
Of the 14,446 suicide cases, 1,461 (10.11%) had a cancer history. Compared to noncancer cases, cancer patients were generally older and less likely to live alone; more likely to use violent methods; less likely to have histories of physical and psychiatric problems; and more likely to communicate about their suicidal intent before death. Age was significantly associated with differences between cancer and noncancer cases.
Cancer suicide cases have different characteristics from noncancer cases. Mental health screening may not be sufficient for suicide prevention among cancer patients. Healthcare professionals and caregivers should be aware of cancer patients' suicide risk, even when there are no signs of psychiatric disturbance.
与普通人群相比，癌症患者的自杀风险更高。然而，对于因自杀而死亡的癌症患者的特征，人们知之甚少。本研究的目的是比较有癌症和无癌症的自杀病例的特征，并确定年龄是否与特征差异有关。
使用死因裁判官报告，在香港确定了 2003 年至 2017 年间共 14446 例自杀病例。根据报告中的病史，将病例按癌症状况分组。从报告中提取的信息包括社会人口统计学变量和自杀事件的详细描述。进行单变量分析和总体及亚组多变量逻辑回归，以比较两组之间的特征。
在 14446 例自杀病例中，有 1461 例（10.11%）有癌症病史。与非癌症病例相比，癌症患者通常年龄较大，独居的可能性较小；更可能使用暴力手段；更不可能有身体和精神问题的病史；更可能在死前表达自杀意图。年龄与癌症和非癌症病例之间的差异显著相关。
癌症自杀病例的特征与非癌症病例不同。心理健康筛查可能不足以预防癌症患者的自杀。医疗保健专业人员和护理人员应意识到癌症患者的自杀风险，即使没有精神障碍的迹象。
