Suicidal Ideation, Psychiatric Disorder, and Medical Illness in a Community Epidemiological Study

Many epidemiological studies have analyzed suicidal ideation in clinical samples, but only a few have been performed in the general population. We present the results of a two‐stage epidemiological study in the general population on the island of Formentera (Balearic Islands, Spain), which used the 28‐item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ‐28) in the first stage ( n = 697) and the Schedules for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry (SCAN) in the second ( n = 242). We also recorded medical illnesses diagnosed in the subjects at the second stage. Four items on the GHQ‐28 ask directly about suicidal thoughts or ideation. From the sample, 6.5% have reported suicidal ideation. Mental disorders are the most important factor associated with suicidal ideation; medical illnesses seem to play a secondary role.