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Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine
Published in: Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine 1/2017

Open Access 01-12-2017 | Research article

Anorexia nervosa, depression and suicidal thoughts among Chinese adolescents: a national school-based cross-sectional study

Authors: Qiguo Lian, Xiayun Zuo, Yanyan Mao, Shan Luo, Shucheng Zhang, Xiaowen Tu, Chaohua Lou, Weijin Zhou

Published in: Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine | Issue 1/2017

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Abstract

Background

Although there is much literature on adolescent suicide, combined effects of depression and anorexia nervosa on suicide were rarely investigated. The aims of this study are to examine the association between anorexia nervosa and suicidal thoughts and explore the interaction between anorexia nervosa and depression.

Methods

This is a cross-sectional study, in the study, a sample of 8,746 Chinese adolescents was selected by multistage stratified method in 2012/2013 from 20 middle schools in 7 provinces across China Mainland. Multilevel logistic model was introduced to explore association between anorexia nervosa and suicidal thoughts. And subgroup analyses were conducted on participants with or without depression.

Results

Multilevel logistic model revealed that demographic variables, including academic achievement, were not the predictive risk factors of suicidal thoughts. Those who suffered from worse severity of perceived anorexia nervosa were at increased risk of thinking about suicide. The interaction between depression and anorexia nervosa was significant, however, subgroup analyses showed that the associations were significant only among the adolescents without depression.

Conclusions

Our results indicate that all levels of anorexia nervosa serve as predictable indicators of suicidal thoughts in Chinese adolescents, and the effects of anorexia nervosa are modified by depression status.
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Metadata
Title
Anorexia nervosa, depression and suicidal thoughts among Chinese adolescents: a national school-based cross-sectional study
Authors
Qiguo Lian
Xiayun Zuo
Yanyan Mao
Shan Luo
Shucheng Zhang
Xiaowen Tu
Chaohua Lou
Weijin Zhou
Publication date
01-12-2017
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine / Issue 1/2017
Print ISSN: 1342-078X
Electronic ISSN: 1347-4715
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12199-017-0639-2

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