Major Depression, Physical Illness, and Suicidal Ideation in Primary Care

The authors attempted to determine the association between major depression & suicidal ideation & the role of physical illness in over 3000 randomly selected primary care patients. Pulmonary disease was found to be associated with increased risk of suicidal ideation, even among patients without major depression. A complex relationship between pulmonary disease & depression is discussed. Findings are discussed in relation to their implications for primary care physicians. (29 refs)