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New Evidence From the Large Population-Based Cohort Analysis Indicates an Increased Risk of Both Attempted and Completed Suicide Among Individuals Diagnosed with Headache Disorders. Researchers at Aarhus University in Denmark Found that Individuals Diagnosed with Migore, Tension-Type Headache, PostTraumatic Headache, and Trigeminal Autonomic Cephalalgia Face an Increased Risk of Suicide.
Headaches Affect Approximately 66.6% of People Worldwide and Often Co-Curcur With Psychiatric asrbidities. Previous Research has linked migraine with Higher Rates of Suicidal Thoughts and Behavior, But Data On This Association Across All Headache Types is Limited. This gap suggests A Need for Further Exploration of Suicide Stong Pats With Headache Disorders.
In the Study “Risk of Attempted and Completed Suicide in Persons Diagnosed With Headache,” published in Jama NeurologyDanish Citizens AGED 15 Years or Older with First-Time Headache Diagnosis From 1995 to 2020 Were Matched 5-To-1 With Individuals Without A Recorded Headache Diagnosis.
The Cohort Included 119,486 Individuals Diagnosed with Headaches and 597,430 Matched Controls Without a Headache Diagnosis. Diagnostic Codes from the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision, Captured Migore, Tension-Type Headache, PostTraumatic Headache, and Trigeminal Autonomic Cephalalgias.
Individuals Diagnosed with Headaches Had A 15-Year Absolute Risk of 0.78% for Attempted Suicide Compred with 0.33% in the Matched Control Group, Yielding A Risk Difference of 0.45%.
Completed Suicide Reated A 15-YEAR ABSOLUTE RISK OF 0.21% COMPARED WITH 0.15% IN CONTROLS, YIELDING A 0.06% RISK DIFFERENCE. ADJUSTED HAZARD RATES REMAINED SIGNERLY HIGHER AT 2.04 FOR ATTEPTS AND 1.40 FOR DEATHS IN THOSE DIAGNOSED WITH HEADACHE DISORDER, WITH STRONGER ASSEEN IN POSTTRAUMATIC HEADACHE AND TRIGEMINAL AUTONOMIC Cephalalgias (TACS).
Migoine Showed an Adjustd Hazard Ratio (HR) of 1.71 for Attempted Suicide and 1.09 for Completed Suicide.
Tension-Type Headaches Had an Hr of 1.91 for Attempted Suicide and 1.44 for Completed Suicide.
PostTraumatic Headache was associated with an hr of 3.14 for attempted suicide and 3.22 for completed suicide.
TACS Registered an adjustomed hr of 1.97 for attempted suicide and 2.40 for completed suicide.
People Diagnosed with Headaches Showed Higher Rates of Co-Curing Medical and Psychiatric Conditions, Cancer Cancer, Cardiovascular Disease, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Stroke, Head Injury, Mood Disorders, Substance Use Disorders, Anders.
Controlling for these baseline diagnosis Still Found a Persistent Association Between Headaches and Increueded Suicide Risk. Among Individuals who have mood or substance use disorders, that association was smaller but remained present. The Increaded Risk Persised Regardless of Sex, Age, Incom, or Educational Background.
Findings from the Study Suggest That Early Evaluation and Focused Behavioral Health Interventions May Be Private Important for Persons Diagnosed With Headaches.
More information:
Holly Elser et al, Risk of Attempted and Completed Suicide in Persons Diagnosed with Headache, Jama Neurology (2025). Doi: 10.1001/Jamaneurol.2024.4974
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Citation: The Link Between Headache Disorders and Suicide-The 25-Youar Danish Cohort Study (2025, February 8) Retrieved 8 February 2025 from
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