Suicidal Ideation Among Individuals With Dysvascular Lower Extremity Amputation

Abstract Objective To examine the estimated prevalence and correlates of suicidal ideation (SI) among individuals 1 year after a first lower extremity amputation (LEA). Design Cohort survey. Setting Four medical centers. Participants A referred sample of patients (N=239), primarily men, undergoing their first LEA because of complications of diabetes mellitus or peripheral arterial disease, were screened for participation between 2005 and 2008. Of these patients, 136 (57%) met study criteria and 87 (64%) enrolled; 70 (80.5%) of the enrolled patients had complete data regarding SI at 12-month follow-up. Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures SI, demographic/health information, depressive symptoms, mobility, independence in activities of daily living (ADL), satisfaction with mobility and ADL, medical comorbidities, social support, self-efficacy. Results At 12 months postamputation, 11 subjects (15.71%) reported SI; of these, 3 (27.3%) screened negative for depression. Lower mobility, lower satisfaction with mobility, greater impairment in ADL, lower satisfaction with ADL, lower self-efficacy, and depressive symptoms were all correlated with the presence of SI at a univariate level; of these, only depressive symptoms remained significantly associated with SI in a multivariable model. Conclusions SI was common among those with recent LEA. Several aspects of an amputee's clinical presentation, such as physical functioning, satisfaction with functioning, and self-efficacy, were associated with SI, although depression severity was the best risk marker. A subset of the sample endorsed SI in the absence of a positive depression screen. Brief screening for depression that includes assessment of SI is recommended.