HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS Psychiatric Bulletin Advances in Psychiatric Treatment All RCPsych Journals		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit an eLetter Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Related articles in BJP Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via CrossRef Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by AKECHI, T. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by AKECHI, T.

Alcohol consumption and suicide among middle-aged men in Japan

Department of Psychiatry, Nagoya City University Medical School, Nagoya and Psycho-Oncology Division, National Cancer Centre Research Institute East, Chiba

MOTOKI IWASAKI, MD, PhD

Epidemiology and Prevention Division, Research Centre for Cancer Prevention and Screening, National Cancer Centre, Tokyo

YOSUKE UCHITOMI, MD, PhD

Psycho-Oncology Division, National Cancer Centre Research Institute East, Chiba

SHOICHIRO TSUGANE, MD, PhD JPHC Study Group

Epidemiology and Prevention Division, Research Centre for Cancer Prevention and Screening, National Cancer Centre, Tokyo, Japan

Correspondence: Dr Shoichiro Tsugane, Epidemiology and Prevention Division, Research Centre for Cancer Prevention and Screening, National Cancer Centre, 5 -1-1Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0045, Japan.Tel: +81 3 3542 2511 extension 3385; Fax: +81 3 3547 8578; e-mail: stsugane{at}ncc.go.jp

Declaration of interest None. Funding detailed in Acknowledgements.

Background Few studies have investigated large population-based cohorts for an association between alcohol consumption and suicide.

Aims To investigate the possible association between alcohol intake and suicide.

Method We used nationwide population-based cohortdata from the Japan Public Health Centre-Based Prospective Study cohort. Atotal of 43 383 men aged 40–69 years participated. Death from suicide was defined according to ICD–10 as codes X60–X84.

Results During the 367817 person-years of follow-up, there were168 suicides. Compared with occasional drinkers, the pooled multivariate relative risk (RR; with 95% CI) of suicide for non-drinkers and regular heavy drinkers was 2.3 (1.2–4.6) and 2.3 (1.2–4.7) respectively. The RR increased with the amount of alcohol consumed (P for trend=0.004).

Conclusions There is a U-shaped association between alcohol consumption and subsequent suicide.

Related articles in BJP:

Highlights of this issue

SUKHWINDER S. SHERGILL
BJP 2006 188: 199-a9. [Full Text]  

PETER TYRER
BJP 2006 188: 300. [Full Text]  

This article has been cited by other articles:

				L. Sher Among middle aged men in Japan, non-drinkers and regular heavy drinkers are more likely to commit suicide than occasional drinkers. Evid. Based Ment. Health, November 1, 2006; 9(4): 112 - 112. [Full Text] [PDF]