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Gender commonalities and differences in risk and protective factors of suicidal thoughts and behaviors: A cross‐sectional study of Spanish university students
Author(s) -
MirandaMendizabal Andrea,
Castellví Pere,
Alayo Itxaso,
Vilagut Gemma,
Blasco Maria Jesús,
Torrent Aina,
Ballester Laura,
Almenara José,
Lagares Carolina,
Roca Miquel,
Sesé Albert,
Piqueras José Antonio,
SotoSanz Victoria,
RodríguezMarín Jesús,
Echeburúa Enrique,
Gabilondo Andrea,
Cebrià Ana Isabel,
Bruffaerts Ronny,
Auerbach Randy P.,
Mortier Philippe,
Kessler Ronald C.,
Alonso Jordi
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
depression and anxiety
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.634
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1520-6394
pISSN - 1091-4269
DOI - 10.1002/da.22960
Subject(s) - suicidal ideation , psychology , anxiety , protective factor , mood , clinical psychology , psychiatry , cross sectional study , suicide attempt , observational study , mental health , suicide prevention , male gender , alcohol use disorder , poison control , medicine , alcohol , biochemistry , chemistry , environmental health , pathology
Aim To assess gender differences in the association between risk/protective factors and suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STB); and whether there is any gender‐interaction with those factors and STB; among Spanish university students. Methods Data from baseline online survey of UNIVERSAL project, a multicenter, observational study of first‐year Spanish university students (18–24 years). We assessed STB; lifetime and 12‐month negative life‐events and family adversities; mental disorders; personal and community factors. Gender‐specific regression models and gender‐interactions were also analyzed. Results We included 2,105 students, 55.4% women. Twelve‐month prevalence of suicidal ideation (SI) was 10%, plans 5.7%, attempts 0.6%. Statistically significant gender‐interactions were found for lifetime anxiety disorder, hopelessness, violence between parents, chronic health conditions and family support. Lifetime mood disorder was a common risk factor of SI for both genders (Females: OR= 5.5; 95%CI 3.3–9.3; Males: OR= 4.4; 95%CI 2.0–9.7). For females, exposure to violence between parents (OR= 3.5; 95%CI 1.7–7.2), anxiety disorder (OR= 2.7; 95%CI 1.6–4.6), and alcohol/substance disorder (OR= 2.1; 95%CI 1.1–4.3); and for males, physical childhood maltreatment (OR= 3.6; 95%CI 1.4–9.2), deceased parents (OR= 4.6; 95%CI 1.2–17.7), and hopelessness (OR= 7.7; 95%CI 2.8–21.2), increased SI risk. Family support (OR= 0.5; 95%CI 0.2–0.9) and peers/others support (OR= 0.4; 95%CI 0.2–0.8) were associated to a lower SI risk only among females. Conclusions Only mood disorder was a common risk factor of SI for both genders, whereas important gender‐differences were observed regarding the other factors assessed. The protective effect from family and peers/others support was observed only among females. Further research assessing underlying mechanisms and pathways of gender‐differences is needed.