Suicidal behavior in the adolescent population of Puno city: a comparative study between 2005 and 2018

Abstract

Objective: To compare the prevalence of suicidal behavior (desire to die, suicidal ideation, suicide planning, and suicide attempts), as well as gender differences, in the adolescent population of the city of Puno, Peru, in 2005 and 2018. Materials and methods: Analytical and comparative cross-sectional study using data from epidemiological investigations of the National Institute of Mental Health. Adolescents aged 12 to 17 years were included: 525 in 2005, and 438 in 2018, selected through probabilistic multistage cluster sampling. The instrument was the Mental Health Questionnaire, validated for Peruvian adolescents. The statistical analysis included frequencies, proportions, and the Rao-Scott corrected chi-square test (p<0.05), processed with SPSS v.20 for complex samples. Results: The prevalence of desire to die, suicidal ideation, and suicide planning did not show significant changes between 2005 and 2018 (p>0.05). However, marked gender differences were observed: among females, the lifetime prevalence of suicide attempts increased from 1.35% to 7.75% (F=13.004; p<0.001), and attempts in the past year rose from 1.05% to 5.41% (F=7.893; p=0.005). Among males, the prevalence of desire to die in the past year decreased from 9.95% to 5.13% (F=15.299; p<0.001), and in the past month from 2.58% to 0.65% (F=8.537; p=0.004). Conclusions: Although overall prevalence remained stable, the increase in suicide attempts among females indicates a critical epidemiological change, and calls for gender-focused interventions. Similarly, the reduction in desire to die among males may reflect protective factors that remain to be explored.