Suicidal behaviour in children in Ghana: evidence from media reports

Abstract

There is a growing global concern that suicide research has paid less than enough attention to young children. We drew on local media reports (January 2000–March 2022) to provide initial descriptive evidence on attempted suicide and suicide among children aged 12 and younger in Ghana. We applied summative content analysis to 30 eligible media reports (one attempted suicide and 29 suicides). We observed a discernible upward pattern in media reports of children suicide since 2015. Most of the suicides (n = 22) were boys. Hanging was the reported method of all the suicides. Parents and caregivers reported subtle or no warning sign of the suicides. While further research is needed globally on suicide among children, more studies are particularly needed from low and middle-income countries (including Ghana) to nuance our understanding of suicidal behaviour among this young population.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Globally, suicidal behaviour among preadolescent children aged 12 and younger have received less research attention.

• One attempted suicide and 29 suicides among children aged 8–12 years were reported in the Ghanaian media between January 2000 and March 2022.

• Twenty-two of the 29 suicides were boys, and hanging was the reported method of all the suicides.

• Parents and caregivers reported subtle or no warning signs of their young children’s suicides.

Keywords:

• Attempted suicide
• children
• Ghana
• media reports
• suicide
• suicide attempt

Reviewing Editor:

• Joe Thomas, Institute of Health and Management, Australia

Subjects:

• Behavioral Medicine
• Children and Youth
• Behavioral Medicine
• Community Health
• Epidemiology
• Global Health
• Mental Health
• Population Health

Author contributions

ENBQ contributed to the study concept and design; ENBQ, AMY, and RE performed the search for news reports and statistical analysis of the data; ENBQ, AMY, and SNSQ drafted the manuscript and critiqued the manuscript for important intellectual content. All the authors contributed to the interpretation of results and revision of the manuscript and approved the final version. ENBQ serves as guarantor for the content of this paper.

Disclosure statement

The author(s) declare no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Data availability statement

The datasets used and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) received no financial support or specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors, for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Notes on contributors

Emmanuel Nii-Boye Quarshie

Emmanuel Nii-Boye Quarshie (PhD) is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Psychology, University of Ghana. He is also the president of the Association for Suicide Prevention Ghana (GASP).

Rhoda Egyir

Rhoda Egyir (BSc) is a Research Assistant in the Department of Psychology, University of Ghana.

Sandra Naa-Shasha Quarshie

Sandra Naa-Shasha Quarshie (BSc) is a Critical Care Nurse at the Ledzokuku-Krowor Municipal Assembly (LEKMA) Polyclinic, Accra, Ghana.

Afua Mankosa Yirenkyi

Afua Mankosa Yirenkyi (BA) is a Research Assistant in the Department of Psychology, University of Ghana.