Investigating the Effect of Substance Desire and Child Abuse in Adolescent Suicide Attempt

Background: This study aimed to investigate the impact of child abuse and substance desire on adolescent suicide.Methods: This cross-sectional analytical study was conducted on all adolescents aged ۱۲ to ۱۹ who attempted suicide in ۲۰۱۸ at Khorshid Hospital, Isfahan, Iran. A checklist of the patients’ demographic information, toxicological data, and ۲ standard questionnaires, including substance desire (family, personal, social) and child abuse questionnaire (emotional abuse, physical abuse, and neglect abuse), were collected. The data were analyzed using SPSS version ۱۵. Comparisons between the ۲ groups were performed using t tests, chi-square tests, regression analysis, and crude model analysis. Odds ratio (OR) and ۹۵% confidence interval were calculated based on logistic regression.Findings: A total of ۱۹۶ teenagers were included in the study, with a mean age of ۱۶.۴۸±۱.۶ years. Out of these, ۱۵۵ individuals (۷۹.۱%) were female, resulting in a female-to-male ratio of ۳.۷۸. There was a significant relationship between gender and alcohol consumption in the personal aspect, as well as between the history of psychiatric diseases and alcohol consumption in the physical aspect (P<۰.۰۰۵). The previous history of suicide was the only variable that showed significance in all aspects of both the substance desire and child abuse questionnaires. History of neglect abuse (OR: ۱.۲, ۹۵% CI [۱.۰۷–۱.۴۱]; P=۰.۰۰۹) was a predictive factor for suicide attempt. However, being male (OR: ۰.۱۲, ۹۵% CI [۰.۰۳۹–۰.۳۷], P=۰.۰۰۰), having no psychiatric history (OR: ۰.۲۳, ۹۵% CI [۰.۱۰–۰.۵۲], P<۰.۰۰۱) and not consuming alcohol (OR ۰.۳۳, ۹۵% CI ۰.۱۵–۰.۷۱, P=۰.۰۰۵) were identified as protective factors for attempted suicide.Conclusion: A public health strategy for suicide prevention includes implementing prevention strategies aimed at reducing risk factors, such as alcohol consumption and the risk of neglect abuse

Keywords:

Suicide , Adolescent , Addiction , Substance abuse , child abuse