Suicidal behavior among school-going adolescents in Bangladesh: findings of the global school-based student health survey

Purpose Suicidal behavior, defined as non-fatal suicidal thoughts and behaviors that include having suicide ideation, plan, and attempts, is a leading cause of injury and death among adolescents globally. This study aimed to explore the prevalence of and the factors associated with suicidal behavior among school-going adolescents in Bangladesh. Methods This study utilized data from the 2014 Global School-based Student Health Survey (GSHS), Bangladesh. A sample of (n = 2989) school-going adolescents aged 11-18 years was selected for this study. Risk factors of suicidal behavior were identified using a generalized estimating equation-modified Poison regression approach. Results The age-adjusted prevalence of suicidal behavior among adolescents in Bangladesh was 11.7%. The result indicated that individual psychosocial factors such as loneliness [adjusted risk ratio (ARR) 1.36; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.02-1.81], anxiety (ARR 2.01; 95% CI 1.43-2.81), being bullied (ARR 1.88; 95% CI 1.51-2.33), and having no close friends (ARR 2.30; 95% CI 1.77-2.97) were associated with increased likelihood of suicidal behavior. Health-risk behaviors such as ever having sexual intercourse, alcohol and drug abuse, and social-environmental factors, such as rare parental homework check, and lack of peer support were found to be positively associated with adolescents' suicidal behavior. Additionally, a dose-response relationship is observed between the experience of multiple adverse psychosocial factors and suicidal behavior. Conclusion Suicidal behavior is prevalent among school-going adolescents in Bangladesh. This study underscores the importance of early screening and interventions targeted to adolescents at risk, which might reduce the suicide rate among this population in Bangladesh.