Does bullying predict suicidal behaviors among in-school adolescents? A cross-sectional finding from Tanzania as an example of a low-income country

BACKGROUND: Bullying and suicidal behaviors are a silent public health problem among adolescents. Little is known about the link between bullying and suicidal behaviors in low-income countries such as Tanzania. In the current study, we estimated the prevalence of being bullied and determined its association with suicidal behaviors among in-school adolescents. METHODS: We performed a secondary analysis of the Tanzania Global School-based Student Health Survey (GSHS) conducted in 2014. This was the first nationally representative survey conducted to a sample of 3793 in-school adolescents. The primary independent variable was being bullied, while the outcome variables of interest were suicide ideation and suicide attempt. We used a chi-square χ(2) test for group variables comparisons and multivariate logistic regression for statistical associations between independent and outcome variables. In our analysis, a p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant at 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: The prevalence of being bullied among 3793 surveyed in-school adolescents was 27.0%. In an adjusted multivariate regression model, being bullied was independently associated with suicidal ideation and suicide attempt: [AOR; 1.9, 95% C.I; 1.5–2.4], and [AOR; 3.6, 95% C.I; 2.9–4.5] respectively, p < 0.001. CONCLUSIONS: Bullying is prevalent and possibly a potential predictor of suicidal behaviors among in-school adolescents in Tanzania. There is a need for all educational stakeholders: teachers, parents, students, mental health professionals, and policymakers to design a program for mitigating the problem of bullying in schools.