Self-harm, suicidal ideation and suicide attempts among college students.
Self-harm, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts are well represented behaviours in the general population of both developed and developing countries. These behaviours are indicative of underlying risk factors that show a strong interdependent correlation. In this study we attempted to define correlates for and prevalence of self-harm, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts among Turkish college students. This 2006 study included 636 students from two Turkish state universities. Our results showed that the lifetime prevalence of self-harm was 15.4%, the prevalence of suicidal ideation was 11.4%, and the prevalence of suicide attempts was 7.1%. We uncovered correlates for self-harm, including low income, unsatisfying familial relationships, smoking, and alcohol, inhalant, and tranquilizer abuse. Tranquilizer abuse shared a dual role as a correlate for suicide ideation and as a means to attempt suicide. Additionally, we found that drug abusers and adolescents who practise self-harm presented the highest suicide risk.
Forensic Medicine Department, Zonguldak Karaelmas University, 67600 Zonguldak, Turkey. sadik_toprak@yahoo.com
Sadik
S
Toprak
Ilhan
I
Cetin
Taner
T
Guven
Gunay
G
Can
Cetin
C
Demircan
D000293:Adolescent; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013334:Students; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology*; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult