A Survey of the Suicidal Attempt Risk Factors in Adolescents in Southern Iran

Background: nowadays, suicidal attempts of adolescents, which are done with different methods, have caused a great concern in communities. thus, this study aimed at surveying the reasons of suicidal attempts leading to hospitalization. methods: this was a case-control study conducted on 300 adolescents during 1 year. in this study, 150 adolescents younger than 18 years, who were hospitalized due to suicidal attempt and referred to nemazi hospital, were selected. after the primary measures were done and the patients gained consciousness, they were asked to fill out a questionnaire on the factors affecting suicidal attempt. another questionnaire containing similar questions was filled out by 150 age-matched adolescents, as the control group, who referred to nemazi hospital for problems other than suicide. the patients with chronic or advanced disease were excluded. data were analyzed in spss, version 17, using t test, chi-square, and logistic regression tests. in this study, the role of religion and beliefs in suicidal attempts was investigated. results: comparison of the 2 groups revealed a significant relationship between suicidal attempt and factors such as sex (p value < 0.001), educational level (p value < 0.001), fathers’ addiction (p value < 0.001), and history of imprisonment (p value < 0.001), history of suicide in the friends and relatives (p value < 0.001), maternal marital status (p value < 0.02), religious beliefs (p value < 0.001), depression in parents (p value < 0.01) and in adolescents (< 0.001), place of living (p value < 0.001), and neonatal diseases (p value < 0.017). odds ratio of factors with significant p values were as follows: male gender: 4.7, history of imprisonment of the father: 2.86, history of addiction in the father and mother: 1.27 and 1.26, history of neonatal disease: 1.99, remarriage of the father and mother: 2.7 and 4.35, history of depression: 2.52, place of living: 2.02, and lack of belief in islam decree about suicide: 1.85, and lack of religious belief: 3. 18. conclusions: according to the results, special attention should be paid to family grounds. in this respect, the role of parents and instructors is highly important. moreover, the preventive role of religion, especially islam, in preventing suicide is essential.