A new study finds that young people with asthma, diabetes and Crohn’s disease are three times more likely to commit suicide.
The study, conducted by the University of Waterloo, which involved over 5,000 people aged 15-30 years, found that people with chronic diseases are more inclined toward mental illness
According to experts, this could be due to lack of knowledge about psychiatric care to help young people cope with their illnesses.
The study found that diseases such as asthma, diabetes and Crohn’s disease increased a youngster’s chances of suicide by 28 percent and plans to die much higher with the likelihood of suicide attempts reaching 363 percent.
Lead author of the study, Professor Mark Ferro of the Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, said the evidence suggests that the risk of suicide attempts is greater after young people were diagnosed with a chronic disease.
However, he urged that the study is seen as a critical opportunity for prevention and continuous monitoring.
According to Ferro, chronic disease can increase the risk of suicidal thoughts and create psychiatric disorders in young people.
The findings suggest the need for healthcare providers to consider a correlation between people with these diseases and psychiatric problems.
