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Renee D. Goodwin, PhD, MPH and William W. Eaton, PhD

Renee D. Goodwin is with the Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY. William W. Eaton is with the Department of Mental Hygiene, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Md.

Correspondence: Requests for reprints should be sent to Renee D. Goodwin, PhD, MPH, Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 West 168th Street, Room 1706, New York, NY 10032 (e-mail: rdg66{at}columbia.edu).

Objectives. We examined cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between asthma, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempt among adults in the community.

Methods. Data were drawn from 3 waves (1981,1982,1993–1996) of the Baltimore follow-up of the Epidemiologic Catchment Area study. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to examine associations between asthma, asthma treatment, suicidal ideation, suicide attempt, and suicide completion.

Results. Asthma at wave 1 was associated with a significantly increased odds of suicidal ideation (odds ratio [OR] = 2.33; confidence interval [CI] = 1.03, 5.25) and suicide attempt (OR=3.54; CI=1.4, 8.99), which persisted independent of lifetime National Institute of Mental Health Diagnostic Interview Schedule/Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Third Edition major depression and treatment for asthma at wave 2.

Conclusions. These findings provide preliminary evidence suggestive of an association between asthma and an increased likelihood of suicidal ideation and suicide attempt among adults in the community. Neither lifetime major depression nor treatment for asthma explained this relation. These results provide important directions for future research, and if replicated these data may have clinical and public health implications.

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