Suicidal ideation, plans, and attempts: Prevalence and associated factors in school-going adolescents in Sierra Leone in 2017

Abstract

The study aimed to assess the prevalence and correlates of suicidal ideation, plans, and attempts among middle school students in Sierra Leone. We accessed an existing data set of 2 798 adolescents (median age = 15 years) that responded to the cross-sectional 2017 Sierra Leone Global School-Based Student Health Survey (GSHS). Results indicate that the prevalence of past 12-month suicidal ideation was 14.2%, suicide plans was 16.0%, and suicide attempts was 19.1%. In adjusted logistic regression analysis, worry-induced sleep disturbance, bullied, trouble from alcohol use, and leisure-time sedentary behaviour were associated with suicidal ideation. Bullied and current cannabis use were associated with suicide plans in the past 12 months. Suicide attempts were likely with no close friends, loneliness, being bullied, trouble from alcohol use, and current cannabis use. The fact that almost one in five students had made suicide attempts in the past 12 months calls for interventions to reduce suicide risk in this population of teenagers.

Keywords:

• middle school students
• Sierra Leone
• suicidal ideation
• suicide attempts
• suicide plans

Acknowledgement

The data source, the World Health Organization NCD Microdata Repository (URL: https://extranet.who.int/ncdsmicrodata/index.php/catalog), is hereby acknowledged.