Suicidal ideation and suicide attempts in subjects aged 15-19 in Lomé (Togo)

• Published in: BMC research notes 2019-03, Vol.12 (1), p.187-187, Article 187
• Main Authors: Darré, Tchin, Consuela, Koffi Assaba Cinthia, Saka, Bayaki, Djiwa, Toukilnan, Ekouévi, Koumavi Didier, Napo-Koura, Gado
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescents; Epidemiology; HIV; Human immunodeficiency virus; Lomé (Togo); Research Note; Self destructive behavior; Sex ratio; Sickle cell disease; Suicidal ideation; Suicide; Suicides; Suicides & suicide attempts; Teenagers
• ISSN: 1756-0500; 1756-0500
• DOI: 10.1186/s13104-019-4233-0

The purpose of this study was to study the epidemiological and clinical profile of adolescents with suicidal thoughts, with or without suicide attempts, and to identify associated factors. A total of 155 (16.5%) of the 941 adolescents interviewed had suicidal thoughts. The average age of the respondents was 18 ± 2.1 years. The sex ratio (m/f) was 1.4. With regard to marital status, 70.2% were single and 29.8% were in a relationship with a cohabiting partner. Family history of suicide was reported in 40%. In their personal history, eight were infected with HIV, three were chronic ethylic and two were diabetics. Forty-six (29.7%) of the 155 adolescents who had suicidal ideation had ever had a suicide attempt. Teens affected by suicide lived in a boarding school in 25.8%, with one parent in 23.9% and 50.3% with both parents. Factors associated with suicide attempts were female sex (p = 0.0107), age over 18 years (p = 0.0177), living in a couple (p = 0.0316), underlying immunodepression (HIV infection, p = 0.0059, sickle cell disease, p = 0.0043) and having a family history of suicides (p = 0.0461).