Psychosocial Distress and Suicide Ideation in Chinese and Philippine Adolescents

Objective: The purpose of this study was to identify associations between suicide ideation and indicators of psychological distress and health behaviors in Chinese and Philippine adolescents. Method: Global School Health Surveys consisting of 9015 Chinese and 7338 Philippine students aged 11 to 17 years were analyzed using logistic regression to determine demographic, psychosocial, and health/risk behavioral determinants of suicide ideation. Results: In both samples, suicide ideation was associated with substance use, physical activity, feelings of loneliness, hopelessness/sadness, and worrying. Chinese girls were more likely to than boys to report suicide ideation and suicide planning, whereas Philippine girls were more likely to report suicide planning. Overweight status and sedentary behaviors were associated with increased risk of suicide ideation in Chinese adolescents, but the same influences were observed to be protective for Philippine adolescents. Conclusions: Psychosocial, demographic, and health/risk behaviors factors appear to impact suicide ideation and suicide planning in both of these youth populations.