Parental Diseases of Despair and Suicidal Events in Their Children

Are parental diseases of despair (DoD; ie, substance use disorder, alcohol-related disease, or suicidal behavior) associated with an increased risk for suicidal events in their children?In this cohort study of 561 837 parents with DoD and 1 180 846 parents without DoD, coming from a family with a parent with DoD was associated with an increased hazard of suicidal events in exposed children.The findings of this study suggest that the rise in teenage suicide and suicidal behavior may be in part associated with concomitant increases in parental DoDs.

Corresponding Author: David A. Brent, MD, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, 3811 O’Hara St, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 (brentda@upmc.edu).

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