title: Suicide ideation in Jamaican youth: sociodemographic prevalence, protective and risk factors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence of suicidal ideation and examine the association between suicidal ideation and sociodemographic characteristics, protective and risk factors among Jamaican youth.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this cross-sectional study, an interviewer administered school-based survey was conducted among 2997 students 10-15 years old in Jamaica. Although there were a number of questions on suicide, this paper focusses on one question "During the past year did you ever seriously consider attempting suicide?" as the measure of suicidal ideation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence rate of suicidal ideation was 9.7%. Logistic regression analysis revealed that significant correlates of suicidal ideation were being female (odds ratio = 1.49), being depressed (odds ratio = 5.78), living in a rural area (odds ratio = 0.62), likes oneself (odds ratio = 0.58), indulging in aggressive behaviour (odds ratio = 1.43), has considered harming others (odds ratio = 3.11), protective factors in the home (odds ratio = 0.62), involvement in risky behaviour (odds ratio = 1.56) and being teased/bullied (odds ratio = 1.69).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings have implication for prevention and treatment of suicidal behaviour in children and adolescents.
authors: Department of Community Health and Psychiatry, The University of the West Indies, Kingston 7, Jamaica, West Indies. wendelabel@hotmail.com
authors: W D
authors: WD
authors: Abell
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Sewell
authors: J S
authors: JS
authors: Martin
authors: Y
authors: Y
authors: Bailey-Davidson
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Fox
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000374:Aggression; D058445:Bullying; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007563:Jamaica / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012424:Rural Population; D012649:Self Concept; D012737:Sex Factors; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires