It’s well known that people with chronic illnesses are at a higher risk of dying by suicide than the general population. And a diagnosis of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) can be devastating.

A new South African study has provided troubling insights into the heightened risk of suicide among people living with HIV. It also raises questions regarding the responsibility of HIV clinics and physicians to protect their patients from the risk of suicide.

The link between chronic illness and suicide risk

Numerous studies have shown that chronic illness is linked to a higher suicide risk. For example, a 2017 study found that 17 physical health conditions were associated with increased suicide risk after an adjustment for age and sex, with nine of those associations persisting even when an adjustment was made for mental health and substance use. Among those conditions studied, the three with the highest suicide risk were traumatic brain injury, sleep disorders, and HIV/AIDS.

There are several reasons why chronic illnesses may cause an increase in suicide risk, including:

• Chronic pain and other symptoms: For people living with severe symptoms, suicide may seem like a way to make the pain stop.
• Perceived burdensomeness and loss of independence: People with chronic illnesses can become highly dependent on others, impacting their self-worth and feeding into the false narrative that their loved ones would be better off without them.
• Feelings of hopelessness: An incurable condition can lead to a loss of hope, which in turn can feed into mental health conditions like depression and anxiety.
• Social isolation and loss of enjoyment of life: People with chronic diseases may be unable to participate in social activities, causing their relationships with friends and family to atrophy, and lose the sense of enjoyment and satisfaction from activities they can no longer do due to their condition.
• Medication side effects: Some medications used to treat chronic illnesses may cause or exacerbate suicidal thoughts.

HIV is a particularly challenging chronic illness to live with, so it is little surprise that it has been linked to increased suicide risk. HIV/AIDS can cause a variety of debilitating symptoms, and it is currently impossible to cure. That said, with modern antiretroviral treatments, people with HIV can live long, healthy, and normal lives.

The importance of suicide screening in HIV treatment settings

One of the key insights from the South African study was that most people with HIV who died by suicide had interacted with a healthcare setting within the year before their death. That means there is a real opportunity for clinics and providers to prevent deaths by conducting appropriate suicide screenings.

However, more training is needed to equip doctors and other medical professionals who treat people with HIV to conduct appropriate screenings and refer to appropriate mental health resources. It’s not unusual for physicians who specialize in treating physical health conditions to fail to consider their patients’ mental health, but that should not be the standard of care. Doctors need to treat the whole patient, and that includes taking into account the elevated risk that a chronically ill patient might die by suicide.

If you have lost a loved one due to negligence, we can help

Suicide is preventable, and medical professionals who don’t provide the care at-risk patients need should be held accountable. The Law Offices of Skip Simpson can help. If you have lost a loved one, give us a call or contact us online for a free, confidential consultation. We’re based in Texas but serve families throughout the United States.