Table 3.

Increase in odds for suicidal ideation and depressive ideas at 45 years, for no. of partnerships, no. of periods unemployed, drinking problems at 33 or 42 years, lack of emotional support at 42 years, long-standing illness at 42 years, internalizing problems and externalizing problems at 16 years ^a

		Suicidal ideation
Adversity: adult stressor indicator		In the past week have you felt that life isn't worth living?	Depressive ideas
No. of cohabiting partnership separations, 16–42 years	2+	1.96 (1.18–3.24)**	1.74 (1.29–2.37)***
No. of periods of unemployment, 16–42 years	1	1.91 (1.37–2.68)***	1.39 (1.14–1.68)***
	Males	1.58 (0.86–2.90)
	Females	2.14 (1.43–3.20)***
	2	1.45 (0.83–2.54)	1.51 (1.13–2.01)**
	Males	1.73 (0.78–3.87)
	Females	1.28 (0.58–2.84)
	3+	1.95 (1.15–3.32)*†b	1.79 (1.32–2.42)***
	Males	2.96 (1.55–5.63)***
	Females	0.55 (0.13–2.27)
CAGE – problems in past year either at 33 or 42 years (score of 2 or more in either year)	2+	2.68 (1.87–3.83)***	2.25 (1.83–2.77)***
Emotional support at 42 years	No	1.48 (0.76–2.89)	1.89 (1.31–2.73)***†c
	Males		1.39 (0.81–2.38)
	Females		2.90 (1.70–4.93)***
Any long-standing illness at 42 years	Yes	2.44 (1.80–3.30)***	2.07 (1.76–2.44)***
Childhood psychological distress
Internalizing or externalizing at 16 years	Yes	1.59 (1.08–2.34)*	1.59 (1.30–1.95)***
Internalizing at 16 years	Yes	1.54 (0.99–2.39)	1.61 (1.29–2.02)***
Externalizing at 16 years	Yes	1.63 (1.09–2.43)*	1.58 (1.23–2.04)***†d
	Males		1.15 (0.76–1.75)
	Females		1.98 (1.45–2.71)***

Data are given as adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval).

CAGE, Cutting down, Annoyance by criticism, Guilty feeling, and Eye-openers.

^aAdult stressors model adjusted for gender, social class at 42 years, and qualifications at 33 years. Psychological ill health at 16 years model adjusted for gender and social class at 7 years.

* p ⩽ 0.05, **p ⩽ 0.01, ***p ⩽ 0.001.

†^b Gender interaction p = 0.042, †^c gender interaction p = 0.034, †^d gender interaction p = 0.018.