Risk factors for suicide attempts and hospitalizations in a sample of 39,542 French adolescents

- We surveyed 39,542 adolescents aged 17 using a self-administered questionnaire.
- We first examined factors associated with lifetime Suicide Attempts (SA).
- Among SA, we then examined factors associated with hospitalization.
- Family, school situation, substance use and body image were associated with SA.
- Family, school situation and substance use were associated with hospitalization.

BackgroundThe high frequency of suicide attempts during adolescence is a serious public health concern. In particular attempts leading to hospitalization, often due to their severity, require careful consideration.MethodsParticipants were drawn from a large adolescent general population survey conducted by the French Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction and the National Service department. The final sample included 39,542 adolescents aged 17. Participants were surveyed during the “one-day session of civic and military information” using a pen and paper self-administered questionnaire.ResultsDepressive symptoms, family socio-economic status, familial situation, relationship with parents, school situation, substance use and body image were significant independent predictors of lifetime suicide attempts. Among suicide attempts, hospitalization was independently predicted by daily smoking in both genders, school dropout, grade repetition, absence of relationship with the mother, regular cannabis smoking and lifetime other illicit drug use in girls.LimitationsThe main limitation of the present study is the absence of a thorough assessment of psychiatric disorders, depressive symptomatology being the only indicator of mental health status at the time of the survey. Second, the survey was cross-sectional thus limiting the interpretation of the findings.ConclusionsThe variables associated with suicide attempts and among them, those associated with hospitalization should be used to identify and provide additional services to adolescents at risk for serious suicidal behavior. Primary prevention in the field of parenting and family support, as well as intervention tackling normative beliefs related to body image should be considered.