Suicidal ideation and psychological wellbeing of adolescents in Galle education division

Abstract

Introduction: Suicide is a global health problem affecting individuals of all ages. Sri Lanka shows a high suicide rate with a considerable number reporting from young age group. As suicidal ideation are present in victims before committing suicide Therefore, this study was designed to assess suicidal ideation among adolescents in Galle, Sri Lanka. Besides, the study assessed the general psychological wellbeing and factors associated with it in youth. Methods: School-based screening was conducted in a conveniently selected sample of students from six national schools in the Galle educational division. Questionnaires assessed lifetime suicidal ideation, attempts, and present psychological well-being (General Health Questionnaire GHQ30 ). Results: There were 1479 participants, age 16-19 years with 52% females. The lifetime prevalence of suicidal ideation in the sample was 22% with 11% having active ideation. Previous suicidal attempts were 4%. Compared to participants with no suicidal ideation, individuals with passive and active ideations had poor psychological well-being (F=152.86, p < 0.001). In logistic regression, the GHQ score predicted suicidal ideation [OR = 1.17, p < 0.001]. Further, present psychological wellbeing was associated with age, gender, socioeconomic status, happiness at school, and happiness at home, explaining 18.6% variances in the regression model. Conclusion and Recommendations: There is a considerably higher number of adolescents having suicidal ideation, and therefore, it is crucial to screen and identify these adolescents for help. Proper sustainable programs need to be implemented for this purpose and attention should be paid to improve the socioeconomic status, happiness at school, and happiness at home. Further research is recommended to obtain more in-depth information on suicidal ideations.