Individuals who have suffered a traumatic injury have a nine-fold higher risk of suicide at two years post-injury compared to those in the general population, according to a
study in
JAMA Network Open.
This stark discrepancy suggests that patients with traumatic injuries should receive more comprehensive follow-up after discharge, the study's researchers said.
Why It’s Relevant
Survivors of severe injury often experience insecurity, pain, and mental health problems during recovery, all of which are suicide risk factors.
Previous research has found an association between traumatic injury and suicide, but studies with comprehensive medical and socioeconomic data are lacking. The researchers wrote: “To inform the public and policymakers, studies on suicide and its risk factors from high-quality registry data are warranted.”
By the Numbers
- The researchers assessed data from 25,536 patients enrolled in the Norwegian Trauma Registry at two and five years after discharge from the hospital, as well as 247,095 age- and gender-matched controls enrolled in Norwegian national health registries.
- During the study period (2014-2020), a total of 72 patients with traumatic injuries (0.28%) died by suicide compared with 94 controls (0.04%).
- The cumulative unadjusted incidence of suicide after two years was 0.18% among patients with traumatic injuries compared with 0.02% among controls—a nine-fold difference.
- After adjusting for pre-existing psychiatric diagnosis, other comorbid health conditions, and socioeconomic status, the cumulative incidence of suicide at two years remained seven-fold higher among patients with traumatic injuries compared with controls: 0.14% versus 0.02%.
A Couple of Caveats
Alcohol is a known risk factor for suicide, but it was not accounted for in statistics about traumatic injury. Moreover, the control group represented the general population in Norway; the researchers noted that a control group of individuals hospitalized for other reasons besides trauma might better inform policymakers as to whether trauma survivors need specialized follow-up after discharge.
Takeaway Message
“We found that many patients with suicide had post discharge visits with mental health problems, allowing health care professionals an opportunity to possibly intervene,” the researchers wrote. “Some health care professionals suggest viewing traumatic injury as a chronic medical condition to facilitate a more holistic approach.”
Related Information
Source
Anders Rasmussen et al. Risk of suicide in patients with traumatic injuries. JAMA Network Open. Published January 15, 2026. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.54168
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