Past Issues

Objective: The study was aimed to investigate the prevalence rate and the associated factors of suicide ideations and attempts among adolescents in the Nantou area of Taiwan. Methods: The study was a school-based crosssectional survey. The students were assessed with a self-reported questionnaire, the Columbia Suicide Screen II - Chinese version, between April and June, 2005. The associations between age, gender and damage caused by earthquake, family support, depression, substance use and suicide problems were examined. Data analyses were conducted by frequency description and multiple logistic regression by SPSS 12.0. Results: A middle school sample of 5,491 students from six schools in the Nantou area completed the questionnaire. Males were accounted for 52.5%. The mean age of the students was 13.8 years (SD = 0.8). The results showed that 27.6% reported having suicide ideation, 4.2% had attempted suicide during the preceding 12 months, 25.6% had endured damage caused by earthquake, 14.4% reported experiencing depression and 2.2% reported substance use. Factors associated with suicide ideations were being female, having poor family support, enduring damage due to earthquake, experiencing depression and substance use. Factors that were most associated with suicide attempts were being female, having poor family support, experiencing depression, substance use and suicide ideation.Damage due to earthquake was not related to suicide attempts. Conclusion: The study reveals that major factors related to suicide problems are being female, experiencing depression, substance use and having poor family support. The results highlight the necessity for developing school-based suicide and mental problem surveys, as well as intervention programs to prevent suicides among adolescents. (Full text in Chinese)