Prevalence and predictors of suicidal behaviours among primary and secondary school going adolescents in Botswana

BACKGROUND: There is a scarcity of studies on the prevalence and predictors of suicide behaviors among primary and secondary school going adolescents aged 10–19 years in Botswana hence, this study would fill that gap. METHODS: This study used cross-sectional secondary data from Botswana Youth Risk Behavior and Biological Surveillance Survey (BYRBBSS), 2010. Multivariable binary logistic regression models were used to investigate the predictors of suicide behaviours. RESULTS: The study shows that 51.5% of the respondents reported having ever contemplated suicide while 40.1% of the respondents attempted suicide in the last 12 months before the survey. The study found that male learners (AOR = 0.61, 95% CI = 0.44–0.83), learners who were not attacked or threatened or injured by someone (AOR = 0.35, 95% CI = 0.17–0.72), who were not bullied (AOR = 0.22, 95% CI = 0.13–0.39), and who were confident of themselves (AOR = 0.55, 95% CI = 0.39–0.76) were less likely to contemplate suicide. Whereas learners with primary school level education were more likely to contemplate suicide (AOR = 2.12, 95% CI = 1.14–3.95). Males were less likely than their female counterparts to attempt suicide (AOR = 0.68, 95% CI = 0.47–0.97). Regarding attempt, learners who had self-confidence (AOR = 0.35, 95% CI = 0.24–0.50), not being bullied (AOR = 0.20, 95% CI = 0.11–0.35), not being attacked or threatened or injured by someone (AOR = 0.35, 95% CI = 0.18–0.69), not engaging in a physical fight that led to injury (AOR = 0.34, 95% CI = 0.19–0.61) were less likely to attempt suicide. Whereas being at primary school (AOR = 5.29, 95% CI = 2.58–10.86), and missing classes once or more in a week (AOR = 1.70, 95% CI = 1.05–2.76) were associated with increased likelihood of suicide attempt. CONCLUSION: The study shows that suicide behaviours as big challenges in Botswana among primary and secondary school going adolescents aged 10–19 years. Thus, the study recommends policy interventions aiming at including education on peer bullying or fighting or attack at primary and secondary education levels if not already in existence. There should also be interventions aiming at educating guardians and teachers on consequences of bullying or fighting so that they should consistently remind their children not to bully and for them to open up if they are being bullied. The study further recommends that schools and communities at large should have a psychosocial system for bullying or fighting reporting, follow-up, and appropriate corrective interventions for the offenders. There should also be self-confidence instilling education as well as sex/gender-specific interventions for instance girls can be given platform (private if necessary) to express peculiar problems to them that need specific help.