Socioeconomic Factors as Determinants of Suicidal Behaviors Among Adults in Nigeria

 Suicidal behavior is seen in the context of a variety of mental disorders and it is believed that suicide has become a serious issue in both developed and developing countries. This study was done to evaluate the associated factors of suicidal ideation and suicide attempt among Nigerian adults.

 The data were collected from Federal Medical Center Birnin Kebbi and the Ministry of Health and Welfare in Kebbi State, a nationally representative sample was recruited using a multi-stage clustering method. 

 Female gender, being divorced/widowed, lower education, and lower-income level were associated with suicidal ideation and suicide attempt (OR=1.56; CI=1.31–1.97, OR=1.91; CI=1.09–3.31). In particular, the effect of age on suicidal ideation presented a reverse pattern based on gender; there was a positive association for men and a negative association for women.

 This study suggested that low education, low-income level, marital status, and age were predominantly associated with the prevalence of suicidal ideation and suicide attempt in women than men.