title: Suicidal ideation and suicidal attempts in a population-based study of Chinese people: risk attributable to hopelessness, depression, and social factors.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The population attributable fraction of hopelessness, depression and other risk factors for suicidal ideation and suicidal attempts in Asian population is unknown. Social support is often said to be a buffer against the effect of hopelessness and depression.
  
  
  METHODS
  Suicidal ideation, suicidal attempts as well as demographic and psychometric data were delineated in a random and representative population sample of 2,219 Chinese people in Hong Kong. The population attributable fraction was used to determine the contribution of hopelessness, depression and other risk factors to suicidal ideation and attempts.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Multivariate modelling shows that about 40% of suicidal ideation and attempts was attributable to depression and about 20% was attributable to hopelessness. Drug abuse and marital dissolution were also significant contributors to suicidality. The impact of hopelessness and depression was not affected by social support.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Suicidality was self-reported.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Suicidal ideation and suicidal attempts were to a large extent attributable to depression and hopelessness, and, to a lesser extent, drug abuse and marital dissolution. Social support appeared to play little role as a buffer.
authors.affiliation: MRC Tropical Epidemiology Group, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK.
authors.forename: Yin Bun
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.forename: C K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Law
authors.forename: Brandford
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Ka Yuet
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Paul S F
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Yip
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D004243:Divorce / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012944:Social Support; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D013405:Suicide / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data