Abstract:
Background While adolescent suicidal behaviour (ideation, planning, and attempt) remains a global public health
concern, available county-specific evidence on the phenomenon from African countries is relatively less than enough.
The present study was conducted to estimate the 12-month prevalence and describe some of the associated factors
of suicide behaviour among school-going adolescents aged 12–17 years old in Namibia.
Methods Participants (n=4531) answered a self-administered anonymous questionnaire developed and validated
for the nationally representative Namibia World Health Organization Global School-based Student Health Survey
conducted in 2013. We applied univariate, bivariable, and multivariable statistical approaches to the data.
Results Of the 3,152 analytical sample, 20.2% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 18.3–22.2%) reported suicidal ideation,
25.2% (95% CI: 22.3–28.4%) engaged in suicide planning, and 24.5% (95% CI: 20.9–28.6%) attempted suicide during
the previous 12 months. Of those who attempted suicide, 14.6% (95% CI: 12.5–16.9%) reported one-time suicide
attempt, and 9.9% (95% CI: 8.1–12.1%) attempted suicide at least twice in the previous 12 months. The final adjusted
multivariable models showed physical attack victimisation, bullying victimisation, loneliness, and parental intrusion
of privacy as key factors associated with increased likelihood of suicidal ideation, planning, one-time suicide attempt,
and repeated attempted suicide. Cannabis use showed the strongest association with increased relative risk of
repeated attempted suicide.
Conclusion The evidence highlights the importance of paying more attention to addressing the mental health
needs (including those related to psychological and social wellness) of school-going adolescents in Namibia. While
the current study suggests that further research is warranted to explicate the pathways to adolescent suicide in
Namibia, identifying and understanding the correlates (at the individual-level, family-level, interpersonal-level, school
context and the broader community context) of adolescent suicidal ideations and non-fatal suicidal behaviours are
useful for intervention and prevention programmes.
