• Jia-Chi Shan, I-Ming Chen, Po-Hsien Lin, Wei J Chen, Shih-Cheng Liao, Ming-Been Lee, and Po-Hsiu Kuo.
• Department of Psychiatry, Cathay General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Psychiatry, National Taiwan University Hospital and College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
• J Formos Med Assoc. 2022 Jul 1; 121 (7): 1238-1247.

Background/PurposeSuicide is a huge global health burden. High suicide rates with a low prevalence of major depressive disorder were reported in East Asia. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of suicidal behaviors in relation to the demographic characteristics and major depressive disorder in Taiwan.MethodsThis study was based on the Taiwan Psychiatric Morbidity Survey, conducted between 2003 and 2005, a survey of common psychiatric disorders in a nationally representative sample of non-institutionalized civilians aged 18 or above. Demographic data, major depressive disorder, and suicidal behaviors were ascertained by a face-to-face interview using the paper version of the World Mental Health Survey Composite International Diagnostic Interview.ResultsAccording to the total sample of 10,135 participants, the lifetime prevalence of suicidal ideation, plans and attempts was 7.52% (S.E = 0.46%), 1.31% (S.E. = 0.16%) and 1.29% (S.E. = 0.16%), respectively. Among suicide ideators, the conditional probability of making a suicide plan was 17.39% (S.E. = 1.92%), and a suicide attempt 17.16% (S.E. = 2.15%). Age ≤ 40, female sex, and major depressive disorder were related to a higher risk of suicidal behaviors in the general population; the former two were associated with further developing suicide attempts and the latter one developing plans among ideators.ConclusionDespite low prevalence, major depressive disorder remained a significant risk factor for suicidal behaviors in Taiwan.Copyright © 2021 Formosan Medical Association. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

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