[Survey on the epidemic characteristics of suicidal tendency among middle-school students in cities].
OBJECTIVE
To identify the epidemical characteristics of suicidal tendency among middle-school students in cities of China and to explore the main factors leading to suicidal tendency in adolescents.


METHODS
Multi-stage cluster sampling method was used to select 9015 students in grades 1, 2, 3 and 4 respectively from 25 general middle schools in Beijing, Hangzhou, Wuhan and Urumqi of China in June 2006 and field investigation was carried out through "China Global School-based Student Health Survey (GSHS) Questionnaire".


RESULTS
Among the students in the four cities, the incidence rates of suicidal ideation were from 14.4% to 20.8% with an average of 17.4%. The incidence rates of suicidal plan were from 6.8% to 9.7% with an average of 8.2% and were different among cities. 15.0% of the boys had suicidal ideation and 6.7% of them made a suicidal plan comparing to 19.7% of girls having had suicidal ideation and 9.5% of them made a suicidal plan. The two kinds of suicidal tendency in girls were all higher than those in boys. City, age, gender, grade, days and type of being bullied, depression, close friends and having received health education on coping with stresses were factors influencing suicidal tendency of students. Days of being bullied and suicidal tendency showed a dose-response relation.


CONCLUSIONS
Suicidal tendency seemed common in middle-school students. Training on 'coping the issue' should be strengthened and harmonious environment should be improved in middle-schools.
Xiong
Guang-lian
GL
Department of Epidemiology & Statistics, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China.
Wu
Jing
J
Shen
Qiu-ying
QY
Mo
Shao-xiong
SX
Yang
Dao-wei
DW
Zhang
Qiu-yun
QY
Zhang
Pian
P
D000293:Adolescent; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014505:Urban Population