Rates and factors associated with suicide attempts among junior high school students in Taiwan, 2014 and 2016

Rates and factors associated with suicide attempts among junior high school students in Taiwan, 2014 and 2016

Purpose: This study aims to estimate the prevalence of suicide attempts and explore factors associated with suicide attempts among Taiwanese adolescents using nationally representative data with a large sample size. Methods: We conducted secondary data analysis on an anonymous self-administered Global School-Based Student Health Survey (GSHS) questionnaire in 2014 and 2016. A total sample of 10,543 junior high school students (aged 12-15) was eligible for this study.
Results: The 12-month prevalence of suicide attempts among Taiwanese junior high school students was 4.28% (95% confidence interval (CI) = 3.89 to 4.67). Insomnia, loneliness, alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking, bully victimization, dissatisfaction with body image, skipping school, having sexual intercourse, and being female were significantly and positively associated with suicide attempts. The number of close friends and parental support was significantly and negatively associated with suicide attempts. Conclusion: The prevalence of suicide attempts among Taiwanese junior high school students was moderate, indicating that the prevention of youth suicide requires constant attention in our country. The developmental-transactional model by Bridge et al. can explain the relationship between the risk/protective factors and suicidal attempts among Taiwanese adolescents.