[Prevalence and factors associated with suicidal behavior among Mexican students].
OBJECTIVE
To identify the prevalence of and factors associated with suicidal ideation and intent in adolescent students in Mexico.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample of 12,424 students from public schools in 2007. We used logistic regression to obtain odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals.


RESULTS
A total of 47% of the students reported at least one suicidal ideation symptom and 9% reported an antecedent of suicidal intent. Factors associated with suicide ideation and intent include low confidence in communication with parents (OR=1.30; OR=1.54), sexual abuse (OR=1.92; OR=1.57), depressive symptoms (OR=5.36; OR=1.51), tobacco use (OR=1.30; OR=2.57), alcohol use (OR=1.60; OR=1.31) and, for women, having had sexual relations (OR=1.28; OR=1.65).


CONCLUSIONS
Roughly 50% of high school students had at least one symptom of suicidal ideation. To lessen this problem, associated factors should be considered, including consumption of addictive substances, gender, history of sexual abuse and depression.
Pérez-Amezcua
Berenice
B
Centro de Investigación en Salud Poblacional, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Cuernavaca, Morelos, México.
Rivera-Rivera
Leonor
L
Atienzo
Erika E
EE
Castro
Filipa de
Fd
Leyva-López
Ahidee
A
Chávez-Ayala
Rubén
R
D000293:Adolescent; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008800:Mexico / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult