Psychological and socio-ecological correlates of 12-month suicide behavior among junior high school students in the greater Accra region of Ghana

Abstract

In Ghana, we know little about the epidemiology of suicide ideation, plan and attempts among junior high school (JHS) students in Ghana including the years preceding high school. This study explores the onset, characteristics, and recent patterns of 12-month suicide behavior among Ghanaian junior high school (JHS) students. Paper based surveys were administered to a sample (n = 800) of junior high school students in the Greater Accra region of Ghana. Self-reported measures on suicide ideation, plan and attempt as well as several psychological and psychosocial factors related to mental health, substance use, poverty, sexual behavior, interpersonal relationships, and family structure were employed. Bi-variate, Multivariate and Logistic regression analysis were performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS version 25). This study found that 1 out of 5 adolescents have experienced suicide ideation in the last 12 months. Girls had signi cantly higher 12-month (χ 2 = 3.5, p < 0.05) suicide ideation rates than boys. More importantly, the study found stress signi cantly increasing the odds of suicide behaviors in the last 12 months (β = 1.14; CI = 1.05-1.24, p < 0.05) and parental support signi cantly reducing the odds of suicide behaviors in the last 12 months (β = 0.86; CI = 0.81-0.91, p < 0.05). Additionally, we found signi cant associations between sexual intercourse, dating, hunger, substance use, suicide stigma and suicide behaviors. This nding highlights a potential emerging suicide crisis among preteens which warrants attention. Additional studies are needed to observe these increasing trends, identify risk, protective and precipitating factors to help prevent suicide among these children.