Association of Being Bullied in School With Suicide Ideation and Planning Among Rural Middle School Adolescents. (November 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bhatta, Madhav P.; Shakya, Sunita; Jefferis, Eric
• Is Part Of: Journal of school health. Volume 84:Number 11(2014:Nov.)
• Page Start: 731
• Page End: 738
• Publication Date: 2014-11
• Subjects: School health services -- Periodicals; School children -- Health and hygiene -- Periodicals; Health education -- Periodicals; School Health Services -- Periodicals; Health Education -- Periodicals; 371.71
• DOI: 10.1111/josh.12205
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-4391

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="josh12205-abs-0001"> <title>ABSTRACT</title> <sec id="josh12205-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>BACKGROUND</title> <p id="josh12205-para-0001">This study examined the association of ever being bullied in school with suicide ideation (ever thinking about killing oneself) and ever seriously making a plan to kill oneself (suicide planning) among rural middle school adolescents.</p> </sec> <sec id="josh12205-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>METHODS</title> <p id="josh12205-para-0002">Using the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Middle School Youth Risk Behavior Survey instrument, 2 cross‐sectional surveys were conducted among middle school adolescents (N = 1082) in a rural Appalachian county in Ohio in 2009 and 2012. Multivariable logistic regression models assessed the relationship of ever being bullied in school with suicide ideation and planning.</p> </sec> <sec id="josh12205-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>RESULTS</title> <p id="josh12205-para-0003">Overall, a total of 468 participants (43.1%) reported ever being bullied in school, and 22.3% and 13.2% of the adolescents surveyed reported suicide ideation and planning, respectively. In the multivariable analyses, ever being bullied in school was significantly associated with both suicide ideation (odds ratio [OR] = 2.4; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.7‐3.5) and planning (OR = 2.5; 95% CI: 1.6‐3.8).</p> </sec> <sec id="josh12205-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>CONCLUSIONS</title> <p id="josh12205-para-0004">The results show a strong association between being bullied in school and suicide ideation and planning among rural middle school adolescents. Prevention of bullying in school as early as in middle school should be a strategy for reducing suicide ideation and planning among adolescents.</p> </sec> </abstract>