Suicidal ideation among the long-term unemployed: a 5-year follow-up

Suicidal ideation was monitored in a 5-year follow-up of a representative s ample of long-term unemployed Norwegians. Four items from the General Healt h Questionnaire-28 were used as a Suicidal Ideation Index. which showed a p revalence of 17% in the present sample of unemployed subjects, higher than the value of 11% in a sample of Australian students used to construct the I ndex. Five years later, suicidal ideation was found in 6% of those who had been re-employed and 22% of those still unemployed, indicating that the hig h prevalence of suicidal ideation may be due to unemployment. Routine clini cal examination was also tried for preventive purposes. Tn total, 8% of the unemployed subjects showed clinically significant suicidal ideation. They were referred to a psychologist or their GP, and were given the standard ad vice about suicide prevention. A Resource Centre, which many employees at. the Labour Office have missed, has now been set up in the area under the Na tional Plan for Suicide Prevention.