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Suicide risk in PCOS: Insights from a cohort study of 18,960 patients

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Created On: 16/01/2025

A cohort study sought to investigate the risk of suicidal ideation after diagnosis of PCOS.

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Key take away

Suicide attempt risk is quite higher in patients with PCOS, underscoring the need for regular psychological support.

Background

A cohort study sought to investigate the risk of suicidal ideation after diagnosis of PCOS.

Method

This study utilized Taiwanese nationwide database data (1997–2012) to determine suicide vulnerability in 18,960 PCOS sufferers, matched 1:10 with controls by age, income, psychiatric comorbidities, and urbanization. Cox regression models were utilized for calculating hazard ratios (HRs) for suicide attempts.

Result

Those with PCOS illustrated a markedly higher risk of suicide attempts, with an HR of 8.47 when compared to the control group, after adjusting for clinical visit frequency, Charlson Comorbidity Index scores, psychiatric comorbidities, and demographic factors. The heightened risk was witnessed across all age groups: adolescents (HR 5.38), young adults (<40 years; HR 9.15), and older adults (HR 3.75). Sensitivity analyses excluding data from the first 1–3 years of observation substantiated these findings.

Conclusion

Individuals affected by PCOS show a pronounced risk of suicide attempts, even after accounting for demographics, psychiatric comorbidities, physical health, and clinical visit frequency. These findings emphasize the critical need for routine mental health surveillance and suicide risk assessment in this population.