Comparative Analysis of Lifetime Suicide Attempts among Mexican Adolescents, over the Past 12 Years

Rosario Valdez-Santiago, Aremis Villalobos, Luz Arenas-Monreal, Catalina González-Forteza, Alicia Edith Hermosillo- de-la-Torre, Corina Benjet and Fernando A. Wagner
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Rosario Valdez-Santiago: CISS, National Institute of Public Health (INSP), Cuernavaca 62100, Mexico
Aremis Villalobos: CISS, National Institute of Public Health (INSP), Cuernavaca 62100, Mexico
Luz Arenas-Monreal: CISS, National Institute of Public Health (INSP), Cuernavaca 62100, Mexico
Catalina González-Forteza: Department of Epidemiology and Psychosocial Research, National Institute of Psychiatry (INP), Mexico City 14370, Mexico
Alicia Edith Hermosillo- de-la-Torre: Psychology Department, Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes [Autonomous University of Aguascalientes], Aguascalientes 20131, Mexico
Corina Benjet: Department of Epidemiology and Psychosocial Research, National Institute of Psychiatry (INP), Mexico City 14370, Mexico
Fernando A. Wagner: School of Social Work, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 10, 1-13

Abstract: Objective. To compare the occurrence of suicide attempts across nationally representative samples of the Mexican adolescent population over the past 12 years, and to analyze its association with sociodemographic, lifestyle and mental-health indicators. Methodology. Data were drawn from the 2006, 2012 and 2018 National Health and Nutrition Surveys ( n = 25,056; 21,509; and 17,925 adolescents, respectively). Estimates were based on standardized measurements. Results. The estimated lifetime prevalence rates of suicide attempts were 1.1% in 2006, 2.7% in 2012, and 3.9% in 2018, indicating a 3.4-fold increase. Across the three survey periods, women yielded rates nearly three times higher than men. Lifetime prevalence grew the most among adolescents aged 13–15 years. Compared to the other respondents, the odds of lifetime suicide attempts proved seven times as high for those who had been sexually abused during their childhood, five times as high for those who had been diagnosed with a depressive disorder, three times as high for those who had suffered physical aggression and twice as high for those who had smoked 100+ cigarettes in their lifetimes and those who consumed alcohol. Conclusion: The sharp increase in suicide attempts in Mexico calls for an urgent public-health response via universal and targeted interventions supported by national policy and sustained federal funding.

Keywords: attempted suicide; adolescence; Mexico (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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