Page 12 - Intuition, Imagination and Innovation in Suicidology Conference. 12th Triple i | Virtual Conference | 25th–27th May 2021
P. 12
h Triple i | Virtual Conference | 25th–27th May 2021 Physical Disorders and Suicide

Annette Erlangsen

Prof. Annette Erlangsen is an Associate Professor and Leader of Danish Research
Institute for Suicide Prevention at the Research Unit of Mental Health Centre Co-
penhagen, Denmark. She holds an Adjunct Associate Professorship at the De-
partment of Mental Health at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Heal-
th in the USA and at the Department of Regional Health Research, University of
Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark. Prof. Erlangsen’s research interests inclu-
de suicide in older adults, bereaved by suicide, affected by suicide attempt, and
psychosocial interventions for people at risk of suicide as well as research appli-
ed to record linkage data. She has published numerous papers in peer reviewed
journals as well as book chapters and editorials.
Abstract. Numerous studies have confirmed associations between physical
disorders and suicide. Although mental disorders consistently have been em-
phasized as a risk factor for suicide, only around half of all people who die by
suicide have been in contact with mental health providers. It is, therefore,
vital to identify other markers of suicide. A substantial percentage of people
who died by suicide have been in treatment for physical disorders, for instan-
ce, 14 of all persons dying by suicide have previously been diagnosed with
a neurological disorder. Identification of high-risk groups among somatic pa-
tients might prove to be a feasible way to reach target groups that we would
elsewise miss. The aim of this lecture will be to provide an overview of the
association between different major physical disorders and suicide based on
recent international evidence in this field as well as examine the support for
different causal mechanisms and explore venues of prevention.

12 https://doi.org/10.26493/978-961-293-068-4.12
   7   8   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17