Neuroticism and suicide in a general population cohort: results from the UK Biobank Project

BACKGROUND: Neuroticism has often been linked to suicidal thoughts and behaviour. AIMS: To examine whether neuroticism is associated with suicide deaths after adjusting for known risks. METHOD: UK Biobank participants (n = 389 365) were assessed for neuroticism as well as social, demographic and health-related variables at study entry and followed for up to 10 years. Suicide risk was modelled using Cox regression stratified by gender. RESULTS: Neuroticism increased the risk of suicide in both men (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.15, 95% CI 1.09–1.22) and women (HR = 1.16, 95% CI 1.06–1.27). In a subsample who were assessed for mood disorders, neuroticism remained a significant predictor for women (HR 1.25, 95% CI 1.03–1.51) but not for men. CONCLUSIONS: Screening and therapeutic interventions for neuroticism may be important for early suicide prevention. DECLARATION OF INTEREST: None.