Age-Stratified Patterns of Suicide Methods in Bipolar Disorder: A Nationwide Cohort Study.

Cohort studyActa psychiatrica Scandinavica· Aug 2026

Age-Stratified Patterns of Suicide Methods in Bipolar Disorder: A Nationwide Cohort Study.

Meng-Chiao Chou, Po-Yu Chen, Yueh-Pin Lin … Chian-Jue Kuo

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Toxicology & PoisoningCohort studyPrognosisQ1IF 4.1

Suicide decedents with bipolar disorder had higher odds of drowning as method

Age-Stratified Patterns of Suicide Methods in Bipolar Disorder: A Nationwide Cohort Study.

Meng-Chiao Chou … Chian-Jue Kuo

Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica · Aug 2026

Background

Age-stratified suicide methods in bipolar disorder remain underexplored.

Purpose

This study compared method selection between suicide decedents with bipolar disorder and the general population.

Methods

We identified 47,488 individuals with bipolar disorder between 2003 and 2023 from Taiwan's nationwide health database and linked mortality records to ascertain suicide deaths.

n = 47,488 individuals

Results

Bipolar disorder was linked to 70% higher odds of drowning versus general-population decedents

AOR by subgroup · 95% CI

More results

Among 1452 suicide deaths over 478,729 person-years (incidence: 303.3 per 100,000), the most common methods were hanging (28.0%), charcoal burning and other gas poisoning (20.9%), jumping from a high place (18.0%), drug overdose (16.9%), and drowning (11.4%).

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Conclusion

Individuals with bipolar disorder who die by suicide exhibit distinct, age-dependent patterns of suicide methods. Therefore, prevention strategies should be tailored to both age groups and methods.

Age-Stratified Patterns of Suicide Methods in Bipolar Disorder: A Nationwide Cohort Study.

Age-Stratified Patterns of Suicide Methods in Bipolar Disorder: A Nationwide Cohort Study.

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