Association of constipation with suicidal ideation among US adults and the partial mediating role of depression

The association between constipation and suicidal ideation remains inadequately explored. This study aims to investigate the potential correlation between constipation and suicidal ideation in US adults, while assessing the mediating role of depression.For this cross-sectional study, a total of 13,493 adults aged 20 years and older were included from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005-2010. The definition of constipation was defined by considering the consistency or frequency of stool. The ninth item on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) evaluated suicidal ideation, and depression was evaluated using the PHQ-8 score. Adjusted odds ratios (ORs) were calculated using multivariate logistic regression models. Sensitivity analysis was performed to ensure stable results. Furthermore, study employed mediation analysis to examine the effect of constipation on suicidal ideation through depression. The bootstrapping method was used to assess the significance of the mediation effect. After controlling for demographic factors, risk behaviors, comorbidities, dietary intake, and relevant medications, constipation was associated with an increased risk of suicidal ideation (OR 1.41, 95%CI 1.08-1.83, P = 0.011). Sensitivity analyses showed the stability of the results. Moreover, mediation analysis demonstrated a significant direct effect of constipation on suicidal ideation (P = 0.016), with depression playing a partial mediating role in this interaction (40.81%, P < 0.0001). In conclusion, this study demonstrated a significant association between constipation and suicidal ideation, with depression serving as a partial mediator in this relationship. Further prospective longitudinal studies are essential to establish a definitive causal relationship between these factors so as to guide the development and implementation of targeted intervention strategies.