Suicidal behaviors and sedentary lifestyles among adolescents: A cross-sectional epidemiological study in Latin American and Caribbean countries

Andressa Ferreira Da Silva,Carlos Alencar Souza Alves Júnior,Patrícia De Fragas Hinnig,Luiz Rodrigo Augustemak De Lima,Diego Augusto Santos Silva

doi:10.6061/clinics/2020/e2015

Andressa Ferreira Da Silva, Carlos Alencar Souza Alves Júnior + Show 3 more

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https://doi.org/10.6061/clinics/2020/e2015

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Journal: Clinics	Publication Date: Jan 1, 2020
Citations: 6	License type: cc-by

Affiliation: Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:To verify the association between suicidal behaviors (ideation, planning, and attempts) and sedentary behaviors among adolescents from four Latin American and Caribbean countries.METHODS:A cross-sectional epidemiological study was conducted in four countries in Latin America and the Caribbean (Bahamas, Curação, El Salvador, and Guatemala). The sample comprised 6,813 adolescents aged 11-18 years, of which, 3,559 were females. The three suicidal behaviors considered were ideation, planning, and attempts. Sedentary behavior was regarded as the time that adolescents spent sitting, excluding time at school. Crude and adjusted logistic regression were used to estimate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI).RESULTS:Suicidal ideation was present in 10.7% of males and 22.7% of females. Suicidal planning was present in 8.6% of males and 16.3% of females. Suicidal attempt was present in 9.3% of males and 16.3% of females. Sedentary behavior was present in 39.6% of males and 45.7% of females. It was identified that male adolescents who reported spending ≥3 hours/day in sedentary behavior were more likely to have suicidal ideation (OR: 1.42; 95% CI: 1.13-1.80), whereas female adolescents who reported spending ≥3 hours/day in sedentary behavior were more likely to have suicidal ideation (OR: 1.55; 95% CI: 1.30-1.83), planning (OR: 1.54; 95% CI: 1.28-1.86), and attempts (OR: 1.31; 95% CI: 1.09-1.57).CONCLUSION:Adolescents of both sexes who reported spending ≥3 hours/day in sedentary behaviors were more likely to have some suicidal behaviors than those who spent less time in sedentary behaviors.

Highlights

Suicide has been defined as a fatal self-injurious act with some evidence of intention to die (1)
Suicidal ideation was present in 10.7% of the sample (12.5% Bahamas, 4.9% Curacão, 8.6% El Salvador, and 13.4% Guatemala), while suicidal planning was present in 8.6% (11.8% Bahamas, 4.1% Curacão, 7.5% El Salvador, and 10.0% Guatemala), and suicidal attempts in 9.3% (9.0% Bahamas, 5.6% Curacão, 7.1% El Salvador, and 11.7% Guatemala) during the past 12 months
Suicidal ideation was present in 22.7% of the sample (22.0% Bahamas, 13.5% Curacão, 20.3% El Salvador, and 23.7% Guatemala), suicidal planning in 16.3% (18.0% Bahamas, 9.6% Curacão, 16.1% El Salvador, and 19.0% Guatemala), and suicidal attempts in 16.3% (14.5% Bahamas, 11.0% Curacão, 17.9% El Salvador, and 18.7% Guatemala) during the past 12 months (Figure 1)

Summary

Introduction

Suicide has been defined as a fatal self-injurious act with some evidence of intention to die (1). Prior to performing this fatal act, the individual presents signs termed as suicidal behaviors, which necessarily develop from suicidal ideation, planning, and attempts (1). Suicide which is considered a public health problem, is the cause of approximately 800,000 people dying each year worldwide, representing one suicide every 40 seconds, of which, 79% occur in low and middle-income countries (2).

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