This study examined whether substance use disorders (SUD) and poverty predicted first-time suicide ideation or attempt in United States national data. Respondents without prior histories of suicide ideation or attempt at Wave 1 of the NESARC (N = 31,568) were analyzed to determine the main and interactive effects of SUD and poverty on first-time suicide ideation or attempt by Wave 2, 3 years later. Adjusted for controls, poverty (AOR = 1.35, CI = 1.05-1.73) and drug use disorders (AOR = 2.10, CI = 1.07-4.14) independently increased risk for first-time suicide ideation or attempt at Wave 2. SUD and poverty did not interact to differentially increase risk for first-time suicide ideation or attempt, prior to or after adjustment for controls. This study reinforces the importance of SUD and poverty in the risk for first-time suicide ideation or attempt. Public health efforts should target messages to drug users and the impoverished that highlight their increased risk for first-time suicide.
Keywords: NESARC; Poverty; Substance use disorders; Suicide ideation or attempt.