Report: Risk of suicide after diagnosis of severe physical health conditions

Published in The Lancet, this retrospective cohort study of 47 million people examined the association between severe physical health conditions and the risk of suicide, and how the risk of suicide changes in the months following diagnosis. It was already known that the diagnosis of a severe physical health condition can cause psychological distress and lead to severe depression, but this study finds that a diagnosis of severe physical illness is associated with higher suicide risk, with an increased risk in the first six months after diagnosis or treatment. The interaction of physical and mental illness emphasises the importance of collaborative physical and mental health care in these patients.