Hanging suicides in northern Finland : A descriptive epidemiological study

The authors examined all hanging-suicides during 1988-2013 (N=851) in the province of Oulu, northern Finland. Using death-certificate data and ICD-diagnoses from the Finnish Hospital Discharge Register, we focused on gender differences in suicide, mental health, and somatic health. Male victims were more likely to have intoxication or problematic alcohol use; female victims were more likely to have somatic or mental hospitalization. Previous physical or mental hospitalization was related with absence of intoxication at the time of suicide. Suicide prevention should focus on acute alcohol abuse in the presence of acute stressors, suicidal thoughts and mental illness.Peer reviewe

Gender differences in comorbidity of conduct disorder among adolescents in Northern Finland

Mauri Marttunen on työryhmän STUDY-70 Workgrp jäsen.Objectives: Conduct disorder (CD) refers to a pattern of severe antisocial and aggressive behaviour manifested in childhood or adolescence, with heavy costs to society. Though CD is a common psychiatric diagnosis among adolescents of both genders, gender differences in comorbidity of CD have been little studied. In this study we examined gender differences among adolescents with CD in causes for hospitalization, comorbid psychiatric diagnoses and somatic conditions. Study design: The original study sample consisted of 508 inpatient adolescents in Northern Finland (age 12-17); 155 of them (65 girls, 92 boys) fulfilled the DSM-IV criteria for CD. Methods: Diagnosis of CD and psychiatric comorbidities were obtained from the K-SADS-PL and somatic conditions from the EuropAsi. Results: As compared to boys with CD, suicidality (including suicidal ideation and behaviour) was significantly more commonly the cause of hospitalization among girls with CD (43% vs. 24%, p = 0.013). Among somatic conditions, there was a significant predominance in self-reported allergies among girls (60% vs. 25%, p Conclusions: Girls with CD seem to have an increased tendency to develop both comorbid psychiatric and somatic conditions as well as suicidality. New clinical aspects in treatment of CD and comorbid disorders among girls are discussed.Peer reviewe

The impact of adverse childhood experiences on obesity and unhealthy weight control behaviors among adolescents

Background: Childhood abuse and other early-life stressors associate with being overweight or obese later in life. In addition to being overweight, unhealthy weight control behaviors (e.g., vomiting, using diet pills, fasting, and skipping meals) have been shown to be common among adolescents. To our knowledge, the association between these behaviors and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) remains unexamined. Methods: We examined the association of ACEs to body mass index (BMI) and unhealthy weight control behaviors among 449 Finnish adolescents aged 12 to 17 years admitted to an acute psychiatric hospital unit between April 2001 and March 2006. We used the Schedule for AffeCtive Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children Present and Lifetime (K-SADS-PL) and the European Addiction Severity Index (EuropASI) to obtain information about ACEs, psychiatric diagnoses and weight control behaviors. BMI was calculated using the weight and height measured for each adolescent upon admission. Results: Girls who experienced sexual abuse were more likely to be obese (OR: 2.6; 95% CI: 1.1-6.4) and demonstrate extreme weight loss behaviors (EWLB) (OR: 2.2; 95% CI: 1.0-4.7). Among girls, parental unemployment is associated with an increased likelihood of obesity (OR: 3.5; 95% CI: 1.2-9.6) and of being underweight (OR: 3.6; 95% CI: 1.1-11.6). A proneness for excessively exercising was found among girls who had witnessed domestic violence (OR: 3.5; 95% CI: 1.4-9.2) and whose parent(s) had died (OR: 5.4; 95% CI: 1.1-27.7). Conclusion: This study showed that female adolescents with a history of traumatic experiences or difficult family circumstances exhibited an elevated likelihood of being obese and engaging in unhealthy weight control behaviors. (C) 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Peer reviewe

Borderline personality disorder associates with violent criminality in women : A population based follow-up study of adolescent psychiatric inpatients in Northern Finland

Various psychiatric problems in adolescence and early adulthood have been shown to associate with criminal behaviour. In this study the association of personality disorders (PDs) with criminal behaviour was examined in adolescents treated in psychiatric hospitals. The study sample consisted of 508 adolescents (age 13-17) admitted to acute psychiatric impatient care between April 2001 and March 2006. Crime data was obtained from the Finnish Legal Register Centre on September 2013. The Schedule for Affective Disorder and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children Present and Lifetime (K-SADS-PL) was used to assess psychiatric diagnoses in adolescence. The information on PDs in early adulthood was based on follow-up information on psychiatric treatments in either out-or inpatient settings until the end of 2012, and was extracted from the National Care Register for Health Care provided by the Finnish National Institute for Health and Welfare. A total of 22 (39%) of the 57 subjects with PD had committed a crime. In women, the likelihood for violent criminality was significantly increased in those with Borderline PD (OR 6.09, CI 1.24-29.84, p = 0.009) and was also associated with conduct disorder (OR 4.26, CI 1.38-13.19, p = 0.012), child welfare placement (OR 11.82, CI 3.61-38.76, p <0.001) and parent's substance use disorder (OR 7.74, CI 2.30-26.10, p = 0.001). In men, no association was observed between PD and any kind of criminal behaviour. Significant predictors for violent criminality in males were conduct disorder (OR 4.05, CI 1.75-9.38, p = 0.001), substance use disorder (OR 2.51, CI 1.22-5.17, p = 0.012) and special services at school (OR 2.58, CI 1.16-5.76, p = 0.021). Females with Borderline PD showed an increased risk for violent offending. This suggests Borderline PD as a potential explanatory factor for violent assaults by females and highlights the importance of recognizing the risk for violence in young women with a Borderline PD. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.Peer reviewe