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Gender differences in the association of mixed anxiety and depression with suicide

Department of Research and Development, Levanger Hospital, Nord-Trøndelag Health Trust, and HUNT Research Centre, Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway

Pål Romundstad, PhD

Department of Public Health and General Practice, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim

David Gunnell, PhD

Department of Social Medicine, University of Bristol, UK

Correspondence: Ottar Bjerkeset, MD, PhD, Department for Research and Development, Levanger Hospital, Nord-Trøndelag Health Trust, Kirkegt. 2 7600 Levanger, Norway. Email ottar.bjerkeset{at}ntnu.no

Declaration of interest

None.

The incidence of depression is higher in women than men but the reverse pattern is seen with suicide. In a cohort of 50 692 Norwegians we found that suicide risk associated with comorbid anxiety and depression was two-fold higher in men (OR=7.4, 95% CI 3.1–17.5) than women (OR=2.9, 95% CI 0.8–10.6), although statistical evidence for a difference was weak (P=0.4). If real, these gender differences could reflect either a more severe symptom profile in men with self-reported anxiety and depression, perhaps because of gender differences with regard to the stigma associated with mental illness, or gender differences in the way men respond to mental illness (e.g. self-medication/help-seeking).

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