Mental Health Profile Relating to Suicide Crises Among Women in and Around Pregnancy and Surgical Termination of Pregnancy: A Data Linkage Study

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: This article presents an assessment of the mental health profile of women who were the subject of a suicide-related call to police or paramedics around the time of (i) pregnancy or (ii) surgical termination of pregnancy compared to (iii) other women of a similar age. METHODS: Findings are drawn from a population-wide linked dataset of approximately 70,000 individuals who were the subject of a suicide-related call to police or paramedics in Queensland, Australia. Mental health diagnoses were assessed based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (fifth edition). Behavior, impairment, symptoms, and social functioning were assessed using Health of the Nation Outcome Scores (HoNOS). RESULTS: 32.7% of individuals had a record of one or more confirmed mental health diagnoses. The presence of a mental health diagnosis differed significantly across subgroups. Rates of clinically significant problems, as measured by HoNOS, differed significantly across groups for most items. CONCLUSION: Findings present a complex picture of the relationship between mental health diagnosis, pregnancy or termination of pregnancy, and other stressors experienced around the time of a suicide-related contact with police or paramedics.