Violence, psychological distress and the risk of suicidal behaviour in young people in India

Abstract

Violence and psychological distress are independently associated with suicidal behaviour; factors associated with gender disadvantage-in particular for rural women, may increase their vulnerabilities. Prevention programs for youth suicide in India need to address both the structural determinants of gender disadvantage, and the individual experiences of violence and poor mental health.

Suicidal Behavior Among Female Sex Workers in Goa, India: The Silent Epidemic

“…Rates of suicide in India are 5 times higher than in the developed world, 1,2 with particularly high rates of suicide among young women. [3][4][5] Verbal autopsy surveillance from southern India suggests that suicide accounts for 50% to 75% of all deaths among young women, with average suicide rates of 158 per 100 000. 2 Common mental disorders such as depressive and anxiety disorders, and social disadvantage such as gender-based violence and poverty, are major risk factors for suicide among women.…”

“…1,3,6,7 Gender-based violence is a common manifestation of gender disadvantage and has been linked with common mental disorders and suicide in population-based studies of women and young adults in Goa, India. 4,5,9 Lack of autonomy, early sexual debut, limited sexual choices, poor reproductive health, and social isolation are other manifestations of gender disadvantage. Sex work in India is common.…”

“…14 Yet, despite substantial investigation of their reproductive and sexual health needs, there is virtually no information on suicide and its determinants among female sex workers from low-and middle-income countries. 15 As demonstrated in the hierarchical conceptual framework outlined in Figure 1, 4,5,9 we hypothesized that gender disadvantage, sex work, and health factors together with factors indicative of social disadvantage are distal determinants of female sex workers' vulnerability to suicidal behaviors, 4,5,9,15 the effects of which would be mediated though poor mental health. 3 We studied the burden of suicidal behaviors in a cross-sectional sample of female sex workers in Goa, India.…”

Prevalencia de intento de suicidio adolescente y factores de riesgo asociados en una comuna rural de la provincia de Concepción

“…Múltiples publicaciones describen dicha correlación, ya sea como un factor concurrente o como un predictor 9,[31][32][33][34] . Se describe que la prevalencia de intento de suicidio en personas con ideación fluctúa entre 13,2% y 29%; superando al 50% cuando la ideación se presenta en la forma de un plan estructurado para cometer el intento, mientras que en el grupo sin ideación sería 0,5% a 3,07% 31,32,35 . Otra variable asociada fue el sexo femenino, coincidiendo con lo planteado en la literatura que, prácticamente sin excepción, confiere un riesgo entre 2 y 4 veces mayor de intentar suicidio a las mujeres adolescentes 7,9,[27][28][29] .…”

“…Sin embargo, resultan parcialmente consistentes con lo descrito por Pillai y cols. en Goa, India; que muestran que la residencia urbana o rural no se asocia conducta suicida en los últimos tres meses en la muestra total ni en mujeres, pero que en varones la residencia rural seria un factor protector 35 ; y son plenamente concordantes con lo descrito por Freuchen y cols. En Noruega; Yao y cols.…”