scholarly journals Suicidal Ideation and Suicide Attempt Among Adolescents in Western Jamaica

Crisis ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 31 (6) ◽  
pp. 317-327 ◽  
Author(s):  
Omobolawa Y. Kukoyi ◽  
Faisal M. Shuaib ◽  
Sheila Campbell-Forrester ◽  
Lisabeth Crossman ◽  
Pauline E. Jolly

Background: Although extensive studies on adolescent suicidal behavior have been conducted in developed countries such as the United States, little data exist on risk factors for suicide among adolescents in culturally and socially disadvantages settings, such as Jamaica. Aims: To conduct a preliminary investigation of risk factors associated with suicide ideation and attempt among youths in Western Jamaica. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 342 adolescents aged 10–19 years from 19 schools. Results: Multivariate analysis showed that a history of self-violence, violent thoughts toward others, mental health diagnoses other than depression, and a history of sexual abuse were positively associated with suicide attempt. Sexual abuse, mental health diagnoses other than depression, self-violence, and ease of access to lethal substances/weapons were positively associated with suicide ideation. Conclusions: We found a relatively high prevalence of suicide ideation and suicide attempts among adolescents living in Western Jamaica. An accurate understanding of the prevailing risk factors for suicide attempts will promote a more sympathetic approach to victims and facilitate prevention efforts.

Crisis ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammed Barrimi ◽  
Khalid Serraj ◽  
Ismail Rammouz ◽  
Rachid Alouane ◽  
Najoua Messaoudi ◽  
...  

Abstract. Background: Suicide attempts are common in patients with severe psychiatric disorders; however, they are rarely studied in this population. Aims: To investigate the prevalence and risk factors associated with suicide attempts among patients with severe psychiatric disorders. Method: This is a cross-sectional study of patients admitted to the Mohammed VI University Hospital of Psychiatry in Oujda, Morocco. Results: A total of 250 patients with a psychiatric disorder were recruited in this study. Among these, 78 cases (31.2%) had a personal history of suicide attempts. A personal history of suicide attempt was significantly higher among women compared to men (45.5% vs. 27.2%, p = .0099). The most common method of suicide attempts was jumping from heights (31%). Patients with a personal history of suicide attempts had a significantly higher prevalence of alcohol consumption ( p = .0063), family history of psychiatric disorders ( p = .002), family history of suicide attempt ( p = .00004), and family history of suicide ( p = .018) compared to those who had never made suicide attempts. Limitations: As suicidal behavior is highly stigmatized in Morocco, the number of patients who have made a suicide attempt may be underestimated. Conclusion: Our findings justify the need to provide specialized support to psychiatric patients with risk factors for suicide attempts.


Crisis ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 60-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda Venta ◽  
Carla Sharp

Background: Identifying risk factors for suicide-related thoughts and behaviors (SRTB) is essential among adolescents in whom SRTB remain a leading cause of death. Although many risk factors have already been identified, influential theories now suggest that the domain of interpersonal relationships may play a critical role in the emergence of SRTB. Because attachment has long been seen as the foundation of interpersonal functioning, we suggest that attachment insecurity warrants attention as a risk factor for SRTB. Aims: This study sought to explore relations between attachment organization and suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, and self-harm in an inpatient adolescent sample, controlling for demographic and psychopathological covariates. Method: We recruited 194 adolescents from an inpatient unit and assigned them to one of four attachment groups (secure, preoccupied, dismissing, or disorganized attachment). Interview and self-report measures were used to create four variables reflecting the presence or absence of suicidal ideation in the last year, single lifetime suicide attempt, multiple lifetime suicide attempts, and lifetime self-harm. Results: Chi-square and regression analyses did not reveal significant relations between attachment organization and SRTB, although findings did confirm previously established relations between psychopathology and SRTB, such that internalizing disorder was associated with increased self-harm, suicide ideation, and suicide attempt and externalizing disorder was associated with increased self-harm. Conclusion: The severity of this sample and methodological differences from previous studies may explain the nonsignificant findings. Nonsignificant findings may indicate that the relation between attachment organization and SRTB is moderated by other factors that should be explored in future research.


2002 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 283-295 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martie P. Thompson ◽  
Nadine J. Kaslow ◽  
J. B. Kingree

The purposes of this study were to identify risk factors for suicide attempts among 200 African American abused women (100 attempters, 100 nonattempters) and to test a cumulative risk model to determine if a woman’s likelihood of making a suicide attempt increased as the number of risk factors increased. Results revealed that attempters were significantly more likely than nonattempters to report high levels of depressive symptoms, hopelessness, drug abuse, and childhood abuse and neglect. Results from the cumulative risk model revealed a linear association between the number of risk factors and the odds of making a suicide attempt. Compared to women with no risk factors, women with two risk factors, women with three risk factors, and women with four to five risk factors were 10, 25, and 107 times, respectively, more likely to attempt suicide. The identification of risk variables highlights the importance of designing interventions to address these factors in order to reduce the risk of suicidal behavior in abused, African American women.


2022 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Silje Støle Brokke ◽  
Thomas Bjerregaard Bertelsen ◽  
Nils Inge Landrø ◽  
Vegard Øksendal Haaland

Abstract Background Suicide attempt is the most predictive risk factor of suicide. Trauma – especially sexual abuse – is a risk factor for suicide attempt and suicide. A common reaction to sexual abuse is dissociation. Higher levels of dissociation are linked to self-harm, suicide ideation, and suicide attempt, but the role of dissociation in suicidal behavior is unclear. Methods In this naturalistic study, ninety-seven acute psychiatric patients with suicidal ideation, of whom 32 had experienced sexual abuse, were included. Suicidal behaviour was assessed with The Columbia suicide history form (CSHF). The Brief trauma questionnaire (BTQ) was used to identify sexual abuse. Dissociative symptoms were assessed with Dissociative experiences scale (DES). Results Patients who had experienced sexual abuse reported higher levels of dissociation and were younger at onset of suicidal thoughts, more likely to self-harm, and more likely to have attempted suicide; and they had made more suicide attempts. Mediation analysis found dissociative experiences to significantly mediate a substantive proportion of the relationship between sexual abuse and number of suicide attempts (indirect effects = 0.17, 95% CI = 0.05, 0.28, proportion mediated = 68%). Dissociative experiences significantly mediated the role of sexual abuse as a predictor of being in the patient group with more than four suicide attempts (indirect effects = 0.11, 95% CI = 0.02, 0.19, proportion mediated = 34%). Conclusion The results illustrate the importance of assessment and treatment of sexual abuse and trauma-related symptoms such as dissociation in suicide prevention. Dissociation can be a contributing factor to why some people act on their suicidal thoughts.


2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. e45-e45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel Mitchell ◽  
Cornelius Ani ◽  
James Irvine ◽  
Claude Cyr ◽  
Ari Joffe ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Suicide is the second leading cause of death among Canadian adolescents. Youth who make near fatal suicide attempts, such as those requiring intensive care unit (ICU) level care, are the closest proxy to those that die by suicide; however, there is limited data on this group. Objectives To evaluate the minimum incidence rate and patterns of presentation of youth (under 18 years of age) admitted to the ICU for medically serious self-inflicted injury. Design/Methods From January 2017 to December 2018, over 2,700 paediatricians/subspecialist members of the Canadian Paediatric Surveillance Program were electronically surveyed on a monthly basis regarding cases of medically serious self-harm. Participants completed a detailed questionnaire about the reported case and descriptive statistics were used for analyses. Results Ninety-four cases (71 female; mean age 15.2 years) of confirmed (n=87) and suspected/probable (n=7) medically serious self-harm were reported. The majority (87%) of cases were reported from 4 out of 13 provinces and territories in Canada (Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec). There were 11 deaths by suicide (M>F; p<.05). Medication ingestion was the most common method of self-harm among females (76% F vs. 52% M; p=.03) compared with hanging among males (14% F vs. 39% M; p=.009). More females than males had a prior suicide attempt (62% F vs. 32% M; p=.07) and a history of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) (65% F vs. 14% M; p<.05), although only history of NSSI reached significance. More females than males had a past psychiatric diagnosis (77% F vs. 55% M; p=.05), and past use of mental health services (69% F vs. 30% M; p<.001), although only service use reached significance. Half of the youth left evidence of intent (54%) and 33% of parents of included youth were aware that their child was considering suicide. Family conflict was the most common precipitating factor for suicide attempt in both females and males (46%). Conclusion These Canadian findings are consistent with international epidemiologic data that observe a gender paradox of higher rates of suicide attempts in females and greater mental health care engagement but increased suicide mortality in males with decreased involvement with mental health care. This study suggests that family conflict is a potential target for suicide prevention interventions among youth. Future research focusing on gender-specificity in risk factor identification and effectiveness of primary prevention interventions among youth is warranted.


PEDIATRICS ◽  
1971 ◽  
Vol 48 (6) ◽  
pp. 914-922
Author(s):  
Matilda S. McIntire ◽  
Carol R. Angle

Of 1,103 cases of poisoning, ages 6 to 18, admitted to 50 poison control centers during 1 year, 13% were considered unintentional, 13% "trips," 26% suicide attempts, and 48% suicide gestures or affect reactions. The youngest age group, 6 to 10, is 63% male, 40% Negro, and about one-half give a history of precipitating stress or current or prior referral for behavior problems. The abrupt increase in self-poisoning in girls at age 12 peaks at age 16, while male paisonings continue to increase with age. An admittedly immature concept of death was retained by 16% of the 17 to 18-year-olds. In the five deaths (mortality 1: 220 hospitalized self-poisonings), lethality of intent was presumed low with death the result of a toxicologic mishap. The estimate of about 115,000 self-poisonings annually in the United States, ages 6 to 18, defines a mental health problem of the first magnitude, but open to epidemiologic analysis by relatively simple techniques.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Craig J. Bryan ◽  
AnnaBelle O. Bryan ◽  
Michael D. Anestis

Abstract Background: Preliminary evidence suggests firearm availability may increase the risk for suicide ideation and attempts, two common precursors to suicide death. Little is known about which aspects of firearm availability may account for this association. The primary purpose of this study was to examine associations among multiple dimensions of firearm availability with lifetime history of suicide ideation and attempts.Methods: A cross-sectional, anonymous survey was administered to 6200 U.S. adults from March 5, 2020, to March 17, 2020. Participants were asked to report firearm availability, firearm use, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors over the lifespan. Results: Rates of lifetime suicide ideation were significantly elevated among participants reporting a firearm in their childhood home (odds ratio [OR]=1.3, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.1-1.5). Rates of lifetime suicide attempt were significantly elevated among participants reporting a firearm in their childhood home (OR=1.8, 95% CI=1.5-2.2) and participants who first acquired a firearm before the age of 11 (OR=3.8, 95% CI=2.6-5.8). Among participant with a lifetime history of suicide ideation, rates of lifetime suicide attempt were significantly elevated among participants who first acquired a firearm before the age of 11 (OR=3.0, 95% CI=1.4-6.4), but this relationship was no longer significant when adjusting for demographics and negative affectivity (OR=2.4, 95% CI=0.96-6.0). Conclusions: Adults who were raised in a home with a firearm and/or first acquired a firearm were significantly more likely to have attempted suicide during their lives. Additional research examining the mechanisms by which early life firearm exposure might increase suicide risk across the lifespan is warranted.


2012 ◽  
Vol 60 (3) ◽  
pp. 555-576 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Christopher Fowler ◽  
Mark J. Hilsenroth ◽  
Michael Groat ◽  
Spencer Biel ◽  
Christina Biedermann ◽  
...  

This study explored a psychodynamic model for suicide risk by examining risk factors for medically serious suicide attempts, including assessments of affect flooding, negative self-schema / fragmentation, and impaired reality testing, closely approximating Maltsberger’s psycho-dynamic formulation of suicide crisis. Baseline risk factors including age, gender, psychiatric symptoms, high-risk behaviors, and the Implicit Risk for Suicide Index (IRSI) were used to detect medically serious suicide attempts monitored for up to a year after the assessment. Twenty-five psychiatric inpatients who made life-threatening suicide attempts after assessment were compared to 25 inpatients and 25 psychotherapy outpatients who made no suicide attempts during follow-up. Statistical analysis revealed that a history of at least one suicide attempt and elevated IRSI scores accounted for 60 percent of the variance in detecting medically serious suicide attempts. Elevated IRSI accurately identified suicide attempt status above and beyond past suicide attempts and other empirically validated risk factors. Results are discussed in light of psychodynamic formulations of suicide risk.


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