Background Suicide poses a debilitating threat to various aspects of adolescents’ lives worldwide. Although suicide prevention efforts are evident globally through the upsurge of literature on this subject matter, there is limited evidence on the prevalence and correlates of suicidal behaviours among school-going adolescents in Saint Lucia. Methods Authors data set from the Global School-based Student Health Survey to examine the prevalence, predisposing and protective factors of suicidal behaviours among 1,864 students from schools in Saint Lucia. Results We found a prevalence of 25.5%, 22.1%, and 17.5% for suicidal ideation, suicidal plan and suicidal attempt, respectively. After adjusting for other factors, we found that being a male and having understanding parents were protective of suicidal behaviours. However, suicidal ideation was predicted by being physically attacked, bullied, parental/guidance tobacco use, loneliness, and worrying. Also, being a victim of physical attack and bullying, having close friends, being lonely, and worrying were predictive of making suicidal plans among adolescents. The risk of attempting suicide was predicted by cigarette smoking, current use of tobacco and related products, bullying, having close friends, being lonely, and worrying. Conclusion The findings of this study posit the need for school-based interventions to help address triggers of suicidal behaviours among adolescents in Saint Lucia to attain the global Sustainable Development Goals targets of suicide prevention.

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This study investigated the prevalence and predictors of alcohol use among school-going-age adolescents in Panama. Using a national school-based cross-sectional survey, data from a proportionate sample of school-going adolescents aged 13–17 years were obtained from the 2018 Panama Global School-based Student Health Survey [GSHS]. Data were analysed with a Pearson’s Chi-square test and weighted binary logistic regression. The results were reported with their corresponding adjusted odds ratio (AOR) at a 95% confidence interval (CI) and level of significance set at p < 0.05. The prevalence of alcohol use among adolescents in Panama was 30.6%. The odds of alcohol use were lower among adolescents in a lower grade than those in upper grades, and lower in those who did not eat from a restaurant than those who ate from a restaurant. Further, the likelihood of alcohol use was significantly high among those who engaged in physical fights, were seriously injured, were mostly worried, and whose parents used any form of tobacco. Other results showed that the odds of alcohol use were high among sedentary respondents, those who had multiple sexual partners and those who used amphetamines. Based on the present findings, a collaborative approach (i.e., stakeholders- the Ministry of Social Development and the Ministry of Education- community–individual levels) towards the development and adherence of appropriate interventions aimed at reducing alcohol use is required in Panama. Specific preventive interventions would be fundamental in promoting a positive school climate to help reduce adolescents’ alcohol use and, perhaps, other anti-social behaviours (e.g., physical fights and bullying).

Suicide poses a debilitating threat to adolescents’ lives worldwide. Although suicide prevention efforts are evident globally, there is limited evidence on the prevalence and correlations of suicidal behaviour among school-going adolescents in Saint Lucia. We used a dataset from the 2018 Global School-based Student Health Survey to examine the prevalence and associated factors of suicidal behaviour among 1864 students from schools in Saint Lucia. Prevalence rates of 25.5%, 22.1%, and 17.5% were found for suicidal ideation, suicide plan, and suicide attempt, respectively. After adjusting for other factors, being male and having understanding parents were protective against suicidal behaviour. However, suicidal ideation was predicted by being physically attacked and bullied, parental/guidance tobacco use, loneliness, and worry. Moreover, being a victim of physical attacks and bullying, having close friends, being lonely, and worrying were predictive of making suicidal plans among adolescents. Attempting suicide was predicted by cigarette smoking, current use of tobacco and related products, bullying, having close friends, being lonely, and worrying. School-based preventive interventions are required to help address triggers of suicidal behaviour among adolescents in Saint Lucia and to help attain the targets for suicide prevention in the global Sustainable Development Goals.