Aim: Identification of specific groups with increased risk of suicidal behavior.
Methods: Latent class analysis, (LCA) data from the National Comorbidity Survey (NCS) 1990-1992, conducted in the representative sample of 5977 Americans aged 15-54 years.
Results: Seven clusters of persons were identified: (C1) young adults with at least 5 psychiatric diagnoses in lifetime, with sever anxiety, somatic illnesses and low income;(C2) alcohol dependent with depressive mood, and with at least 4 psychiatric diagnoses in lifetime; (C3) persons without mental disorders and persons with one or two mental disorders, in fourth decade of life; (C4) nearly only women suffering from depression with other comorbid mental disorders, often with anxiety disorders; (C5) young persons with variety of mental disorders, and with abuse of alcohol and other psychoactive substances, with suicidal attempt in past, currently not in relationship; (C6) nearly only men, in fourth decade of life, abusing alcohol and drugs, with depressive mood; majority of them with dissocial personality disorder and with at least three psychiatric diagnoses; (C7) young persons without mental disorders or with 1 or 2 mental disorders, strongly emotionally dependent.
Conclusions: Cluster analysis let to identify and relatively well describe 7 groups of persons with increased risk of suicidal behavior.
Keywords: comorbidity; mental disorders; suicide.