Prevalence and associated factors of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts in adolescents attending St. Paul's Hospital Millennium Medical College, Pediatric Clinic in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2023

BackgroundSuicide among adolescents is a significant global public health concern. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and associated factors of suicidal ideation and attempts among adolescents attending care at St. Pauls Hospital Millennium Medical College, Pediatrics Department, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. MethodsA hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted, recruiting 317 participants for interviews using a proportional stratified sampling technique. The Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) was utilized to evaluate instances of suicide. The PHQ-9-(A) and an Oslo-3 social support instrument were used to assess depression and social support. Bivariate and multivariate binary logistic regressions were employed to identify factors associated with suicidal ideation and attempts. Statistical significance was indicated by a P-value <0.05, and the strength of association is presented as an adjusted odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval. ResultsThe findings of this study revealed that the prevalence of suicidal ideation and suicide attempts were 12.6% and 6%, respectively. Among the respondents who had positive ideation, approximately 28% had thought about it at least once, 31.5% had thoughts at least two times, and 5% claimed they had contemplated committing suicide up to ten times in their lifetime. According to the multivariate analysis, being aged 15-19 years, having a widowed family status, a family history of mental illness, poor social support, and depression according to the PHQ-9 were significantly associated with suicidal ideation. Additionally, participants who had experienced a loss of a family member and those with depression had a significant risk of suicide attempts. ConclusionThe results suggest that the magnitude of suicidal ideation and attempts is high, indicating a critical need for early suicide-focused regular screening for those on follow-up for other medical illnesses and linkage with mental health service providers.