Lifetime prevalence of suicidal ideation, suicide plans and attempts in rural and urban regions of Beijing, China.
OBJECTIVE
There has been no large-scale survey of suicide-related behaviours including suicidal ideations, plans and attempts in China involving both rural and urban areas and using standardized assessment tools. The aim of the present study was to determine the lifetime prevalence of suicide-related behaviour and its relationship with sociodemographic factors and psychiatric disorders in the rural and urban regions of Beijing, China.


METHODS
A total of 5926 subjects were randomly selected in Beijing and interviewed using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Basic sociodemographic and clinical data and data on suicide-related behaviour were also collected.


RESULTS
The overall lifetime prevalence estimates of suicidal ideation, plans and attempts were 2.3%, 1.4%, and 1.0%, respectively; the corresponding figures were 2.8%, 1.6%, and 1.3% in the rural sample, and 1.8%, 1.3%, and 0.9% in the urban sample. Age (>25 years), female sex, unmarried status, lower education level, lower (<RMB500 month(-1)) or higher (>RMB2000 month(-1)) monthly income and presence of major medical disorders were significantly associated with increased risk of suicide-related behaviour. 36.2% of subjects with suicide-related behavior consulted a medical practitioner and 20.7% consulted a psychiatrist.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of lifetime suicide-related behaviour in Beijing is lower than in Western countries, but the low percentage of subjects treated for suicide-related behaviour indicates a major public health problem that should be addressed. National surveys are needed to further explore the prevalence of suicide-related behaviour in China.
Ma
Xin
X
Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
Xiang
Yu-Tao
YT
Cai
Zhuo-Ji
ZJ
Li
Shu-Ran
SR
Xiang
Ying-Qiang
YQ
Guo
Hong-Li
HL
Hou
Ye-Zhi
YZ
Li
Zhen-Bo
ZB
Li
Zhan-Jiang
ZJ
Tao
Yu-Fen
YF
Dang
Wei-Min
WM
Wu
Xiao-Mei
XM
Deng
Jing
J
Chan
Sandra S M
SS
Ungvari
Gabor S
GS
Chiu
Helen F K
HF
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002391:Catchment Area, Health; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003710:Demography; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015995:Prevalence; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013850:Thinking; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult