Mental Health Indicators of Suicide in Cambodian Women

Abstract

Global suicide rates are steadily increasing, and suicide completions in Asia outnumber those in Western countries. Young females are especially at risk, with higher rates of completion and lack of suicide support because of familial and cultural stigma and constraints. Lack of infrastructure to systematically record suicide deaths and attempts makes studying suicide in low- and middle-income countries challenging. Given the critical public health need for suicide intervention and prevention, research on suicide is crucial. The present study adds to the lack of information regarding suicide in Cambodia by exploring reports of attempted suicide by women from a nationally representative sample of Cambodian women (N = 1813). In a series of logistic regression models, findings indicate that a culturally salient measure of Cambodian syndromes, symptoms of depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder contributed to increased odds of attempting to commit suicide. Implications for policymakers and interventionists within Cambodia and Asian contexts are discussed.