Learning disability and suicide in adults

Fuller-Thomson E, et al. J Learn Disabil. Individuals with learning disabilities were significantly more likely to attempt suicide than those without, according to recent findings. Lifetime prevalence of suicide attempts was significantly higher among individuals with specific learning disorders, compared with those without

Suicide is one of the top three leading causes of death amongst those aged between 15 and 44 years; and tenth leading cause of death in the wider population. The base rates of suicide, suicide attempts and suicide-related behaviours are comparably low in the general population with between 17 and 68 per cent of individuals who successfully commit suicide having made a previous attempt to take their own life. The paper aims to discuss these issues. The literature review covered the time period and returned studies, 77 of which related to individuals with ID, 37 of which related to adults. Following screening titles and abstracts 28 articles were removed. A total of nine studies were found to be eligible for inclusion in the review. A further two studies examining suicide in adolescents up to adulthood with ID were also considered.

Eye-opening new research finds a strong correlation between learning disabilities and suicidal behavior, particularly in adult women. A large Canadian study found that people with learning disabilities — particularly women — had a much higher rate of suicidal behavior than did the general population, even when controlling for risk factors like depression, substance abuse, and economic status. Data from the Canadian Community Health Survey allowed researchers to identify a cross sample of more than 21, Canadians, approximately of whom reported they had been diagnosed with learning disabilities.

A new study by the University of Toronto found that the lifetime prevalence of suicide attempts was much higher for women who had been diagnosed with learning disabilities Men with learning disabilities also were more likely to have attempted suicide compared to men without learning disorders 7. Carroll, a recent University of Toronto social work graduate.