Sarfo Jacob Owusu, Obeng Paul, Debrah Timothy Pritchard, Gbordzoe Newton Isaac, Fosu Alexander Kwadwo
University of Cape Coast, Ghana.
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana.
Dialogues Health. 2022 Nov 11;1:100077. doi: 10.1016/j.dialog.2022.100077. eCollection 2022 Dec.
Suicide occurs throughout life and is among the leading causes of death among adolescents globally. Aside from the growing literature on this serious mental health issue, little is known about the prevalence of suicide and the variables that predispose and protect adolescents against it in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. We analysed the Global School-based Student Health Survey data collection among school-going adolescents in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to explore the prevalence, risk and protective variables associated with suicidal behaviours. We observed prevalence rates of 26%, 26%, and 19% for suicide ideation, plan, and attempt, respectively. Furthermore, sex (being male) and having parents or guardians who understand the problems and worries of adolescents served as protective factors against all three suicide behaviours. However, we observed truancy, cigarette smoking, bullying victims (on/off school property), being cyberbullied, loneliness, and worry as risk factors for suicide ideation among adolescents. Risk for suicide plan was predicted by truancy, cigarette smoking, physical fight, bullying victims (on/off school property), being cyberbullied, loneliness, and worry. After controlling for other factors, truancy, amphetamine or methamphetamine use, cigarette smoking, physical fight, bullying victims (on/off school property), serious injury, close friends, loneliness, and worrying about life issues predicted suicide attempt risk among adolescents in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Early identification and suicide prevention interventions focusing on identified protective and risk factors may help minimise the prevalence of suicide behaviours among school-going adolescents in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
自杀在人生各阶段都有发生，是全球青少年主要死因之一。除了关于这一严重心理健康问题的文献不断增多外，对于圣文森特和格林纳丁斯青少年自杀的流行情况以及促使和保护青少年免受自杀影响的变量，人们知之甚少。我们分析了圣文森特和格林纳丁斯在校青少年的全球基于学校的学生健康调查数据收集情况，以探究与自杀行为相关的流行率、风险和保护变量。我们观察到自杀意念、计划和尝试的流行率分别为26%、26%和19%。此外，性别（男性）以及有理解青少年问题和担忧的父母或监护人是针对所有三种自杀行为的保护因素。然而，我们观察到逃学、吸烟、受欺凌受害者（在学校内外）、遭受网络欺凌、孤独和担忧是青少年自杀意念的风险因素。逃学、吸烟、肢体冲突、受欺凌受害者（在学校内外）、遭受网络欺凌、孤独和担忧可预测自杀计划的风险。在控制其他因素后，逃学、使用安非他明或甲基苯丙胺、吸烟、肢体冲突、受欺凌受害者（在学校内外）、重伤、亲密朋友、孤独以及对生活问题的担忧可预测圣文森特和格林纳丁斯青少年的自杀未遂风险。针对已确定的保护和风险因素进行早期识别和自杀预防干预，可能有助于降低圣文森特和格林纳丁斯在校青少年自杀行为的流行率。
