Adolescent suicide attempts in three diverse island nations: patterns, contextual differences and demographic associations.

OBJECTIVE: Most epidemiological studies on suicidal behavior have been focused on high-income country settings. This study examine factors associated with suicidal behaviors among school-attending adolescents in three island nations. In this secondary analysis of the publicly available 2015 nationally representative GSHS data, we tested demographic, social, and behavioral attributes using multivariable logistic regression to association with suicide attempts. RESULTS: Within the recall period, 13.6% of participants reported having attempted suicide one or more times in the Cook Islands, 10.8% in Curaçao, and 9.8% in East Timor. In the Cook Islands, suicide ideation (AOR = 19.42, 95% CI = 9.11-41.41), anxiety (AOR = 2.51, 95% CI = 1.08-5.82), physical bullying (AOR = 3.3, 95% CI = 1.10-9.91), and cigarette smoking (AOR = 3.82, 95% CI = 1.38-10.54) were associated with suicide attempts. For Curaçaoo, suicide ideation (AOR = 7.88, 95% CI = 5.20-11.95) and suicide planning (AOR = 7.01, 95% CI = 4.24-11.60) were statistically significant. While for East Timor, suicide ideation (AOR = 4.59, 95% CI = 2.14-9.88), suicide planning (AOR = 3.36, 95% CI = 1.76-6.29), bullying victimization (AOR = 2.69, 95% CI = 1.02-7.12), and serious injuries (AOR = 2.22, 95% CI = 1.31-3.74) were statistically significant. Suicide attempt is relatively common in each of the three island nations. The socioeconomic context of adolescents might play a significant role in moderating suicidal behavior. Therefore, prevention efforts should be grounded in view of geographic, demographic, and socioeconomic contexts of the populations at risk.

Knowledge and perceptions about the health effects of environmental hazards among students from Hamdard University, Karachi: A cross sectional study.

Environmental hazards increase the health morbidity and mortality burden. This study compared the knowledge and perceptions about the health effects of environmental hazards among medical and engineering students of Hamdard University Karachi. A total of 263 (44.1%) engineering students, and 333 (55.9%) medical students participated in the study. Cumulatively, the three most commonly identified environmental hazards included tobacco smoking 561 (94.1%), global climate change 518 (86.9%), and solar ultraviolet radiation 511 (85.7%). The study results suggest the need for better quantifying the magnitude of understanding environmental hazards, and for health education and promotion programmes at the graduate level for medical and engineering students in Karachi.

Tobacco Use and Parental Monitoring-Observations from Three Diverse Island Nations-Cook Islands, Curaçao, and East Timor.

Tobacco use among adolescents is a global problem of public health importance. This study examined the profile of differences and similarities in adolescent tobacco use, and the role of parental monitoring activities among adolescents in three island nations of varying economic status: Cook Islands, Curaçao, and East Timor. Using nationally representative data we conducted regression modeling to determine the effect of four types of parental monitoring activities on tobacco use. Within a recall period of 30 days prior to being surveyed, 29.7% of students in East Timor, 21.6% in Cook Islands, and 13.1% in Curaçao reported having smoked cigarettes and/or used tobacco in other forms during 1 or more days during the preceding 30 days. Lower rates of parental monitoring as measured by four variables (parental understanding of problems and worries; knowing about how free time was being spent; going over things without approval; and checking to see if homework was done) were associated with higher percentages of adolescent tobacco use. Taken together the results underscore the need for increased parental involvement in programs which are designed to reduce tobacco use among adolescents.

Prevalence, correlates, and changes in injury epidemiology between 2006 and 2010 among 13-15 year Moroccan school attending adolescents.

Injuries are the leading cause of mortality among 10-19 years old children and adolescents globally. This study reports on correlates of injuries using multivariate analysis and compares trends in injury from 2006 to 2010 in Morocco. For the prevalence of all cause injury, there was a statistically significant decrease between year 2006 and 2010, cumulatively, as well as for each sex. Within same years, boys reported having sustained more injuries than girls, and this difference was found to be statistically significant. Within same years, boys reported having sustained more fall injuries than girls; however this was statistically significant for year 2006 only. All cause injuries were also found to be statistically significantly more common in boys compared to girls in the year 2010, in the multiple logistic regression model. To further mitigate the burden of injury malady in Morocco among adolescents; all stakeholders i.e. health policymakers, paediatricians, psychiatrists, general practitioners, teachers, and parents need to choreograph their moves in concert.

Prevalence, correlates, and changes in tobacco use between 2006 and 2010 among 13-15 year Moroccan school attending adolescents.

Tobacco use is a preventable cause of disease and death globally. Adolescents using tobacco tend to continue its use in adulthood. Analysis of data from Moroccan Global School-based Student Health Surveys for 2006 and 2010 showed statistically significant differences in prevalence of current cigarette smoking as well as current use of other tobacco products, among school attending 13-15 year old boys and girls within the year 2006 and 2010; with boys having higher prevalence than girls in each year. Combined prevalence of cigarette smoking i.e. between both boys and girls showed statistically significant difference between 2006 and 2010; with a higher prevalence in 2010. Use of tobacco in multivariate analysis of 2010 data, was found to have statistically significant associations with anxiety disorders, gender, truancy, depression, suicidal ideation, inadequate parental monitoring, and parental smoking.