Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

LIVE: Thursday 27th June 2024, 18:00-19:30 (CEST)
Join our expert panel to discover why you need to understand the drivers of non-adherence in your patients, and how you can optimize medication adherence in your clinics to drastically improve patient outcomes.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
BMC Public Health
Published in: BMC Public Health 1/2023

Open Access 01-12-2023 | Suicide | Research

Suicide attempt among Malaysian school-going adolescents: relationship with bullying

Authors: Siaw Hun Liew, Mohamad Aznuddin Abd Razak, Mohd Shaiful Azlan Kassim, Noor Ani Ahmad, LeeAnn Tan

Published in: BMC Public Health | Issue 1/2023

Login to get access

Abstract

Background

According to World Health Organization (WHO), the fourth leading cause of death among adolescents aged 15 -19 years is suicide. The National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2017 reported that suicidal attempts among school adolescents increased from 6.8%—6.9% as compared to NHMS 2012. Suicide attempts can cause significant negative impacts on health, social and economic status. Bullying is one of the factors for adolescent suicide attempts, and its relationship to suicidality in adolescents has been shown in numerous research.

Objectives

This study examined the relationship between suicide attempts and bullying among school adolescents in Malaysia.

Methods

Data from the Malaysia NHMS 2017, a nationwide study that adopted a two-stage cluster sampling design, were analysed. The survey used a self-administered questionnaire in bilingual language adapted from GSHS developed by WHO. Participants were secondary school students aged 13 -17 in all states. Descriptive and multiple logistic regression analyses were performed using IBM SPSS version 28.

Results

A total of 27,497 school adolescents participated in the study. Results showed that 6.9% of school adolescents had attempted suicide. There was 16.2% of adolescents being bullied. Multiple logistic regression revealed that students who were bullied were more likely to have suicide attempts (aOR 4.827, 95% CI: 4.143, 5.624) P < 0.001.

Discussion/conclusion

This study revealed that bullying is associated with suicide attempts among school adolescents in Malaysia. The respective authority should consider and plan effective measures to curb bullying among school adolescents.
Literature
1.
Mental health status of adolescents in South-East Asia: Evidence for action. New Delhi: World Health Organization, Regional Office for South-East Asia; 2017. Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO.
2.
3.
4.
Institute for Public Health (IPH). The National Health and Morbidity Survey: Malaysia Global School-based Student Health Survey 2012. Kuala Lumpur. Ministry of Health, Malaysia; 2012.
5.
Institute for Public Health (IPH) 2017. National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2017. Malaysia: Adolescent Health Survey; 2017.
6.
7.
Mars B, Heron J, Crane C, Hawton K, Lewis G, Macleod J, et al. Clinical and social outcomes of adolescent self harm: Population based birth cohort study. BMJ (Online). 2014;22:349.
8.
Goldman-Mellor SJ, Caspi A, Harrington HL, Hogan S, Nada-Raja S, Poulton R, et al. Suicide attempt in young people a signal for long-term health care and social needs. JAMA Psychiat. 2014;71(2):119–27.CrossRef
9.
Gvion Y, Apter A. Suicide and suicidal behavior. Public Health Rev. 2012;34(2):1–20.CrossRef
10.
11.
12.
13.
Borowsky IW, Taliaferro LA, McMorris BJ. Suicidal thinking and behavior among youth involved in verbal and social bullying: Risk and protective factors. J Adolesc Health. 2013;53:S4–12.PubMedCrossRef
14.
Kim YS, Koh YJ, Leventhal BL. Prevalence of School Bullying in Korean Middle School Students. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2004;158:737–41.PubMedCrossRef
15.
16.
17.
Sigurdson JF, Undheim AM, Wallander JL, Lydersen S, Sund AM. The Longitudinal association of being bullied and gender with suicide ideations, self-harm, and suicide attempts from adolescence to young adulthood: a cohort study. Suicide Life Threat Behav. 2018;48(2):169–82.PubMedCrossRef
18.
Han Z, Fu M, Liu C, Guo J. Bullying and suicidality in Urban Chinese youth: the role of teacher-student relationships. Cyberpsychol Behav Soc Netw. 2018;21(5):287–93.PubMedCrossRef
19.
Reed KP, Nugent W, Cooper RL. Testing a path model of relationships between gender, age, and bullying victimization and violent behavior, substance abuse, depression, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts in adolescents. Child Youth Serv Rev. 2015;1(55):128–37.CrossRef
20.
Baiden P, Kuuire VZ, Shrestha N, Tonui BC, Dako-Gyeke M, Peters KK. Bullying victimization as a predictor of suicidal ideation and suicide attempt among senior high school students in Ghana: results from the 2012 Ghana Global School-Based Health Survey. J Sch Viol. 2019;18(2):300–17.CrossRef
21.
Hinduja S, Patchin JW. Bullying, cyberbullying, and suicide. Arch Suicide Res. 2010;14(3):206–21.PubMedCrossRef
22.
Van Geel M, Vedder P, Tanilon J. Relationship between peer victimization, cyberbullying, and suicide in children and adolescents ameta-analysis. JAMA Pediatr. 2014;168(5):435–42.PubMedCrossRef
23.
Barzilay S, Brunstein Klomek A, Apter A, Carli V, Wasserman C, Hadlaczky G, et al. Bullying victimization and suicide ideation and behavior among adolescents in europe: a 10-country study. J Adolesc Health. 2017;61(2):179–86.PubMedCrossRef
24.
Geoffroy MC, Boivin M, Arseneault L, Turecki G, Vitaro F, Brendgen M, et al. Associations between peer victimization and suicidal ideation and suicide attempt during adolescence: results from a prospective population-based birth cohort. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2016;55(2):99–105.PubMedCrossRef
25.
26.
27.
Awaluddin SM, Ibrahim Wong N, Rodzlan Hasani WS, et al. Methodology and Representativeness of the Adolescent Health Survey 2017 in Malaysia. Asia Pac J Public Health. 2019;31(8):8–17.CrossRef
28.
Wang H, Bragg F, Guan Y, Zhong J, Li N, Yu M. Association of bullying victimization with suicidal ideation and suicide attempt among school students: A school-based study in Zhejiang Province China. J Affect Disord. 2023;15(323):361–7.CrossRef
29.
Koyanagi A, Oh H, Carvalho AF, Smith L, Haro JM, Vancampfort D, et al. Bullying victimization and suicide attempt among adolescents aged 12–15 years from 48 countries. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2019;58(9):907–918.e4.PubMedCrossRef
30.
Uddin R, Burton NW, Maple M, Khan SR, Khan A. Suicidal ideation, suicide planning, and suicide attempts among adolescents in 59 low-income and middle-income countries: a population-based study. Lancet Child Adolesc Health. 2019;3(4):223–33.PubMedCrossRef
31.
Wu KCC, Chen YY, Yip PSF. Suicide methods in Asia: Implications in suicide prevention. Int J Environl Res Public Health. 2012;9:1135–58 MDPI.CrossRef
32.
33.
Zygo M, Pawłowska B, Potembska E, Dreher P, Kapka-Skrzypczak L. Prevalence and selected risk factors of suicidal ideation, suicidal tendenciesand suicide attempts in young people aged 13–19 years. Ann Agric Environ Med. 2019;26(2):329–36.PubMedCrossRef
34.
Campisi SC, Carducci B, Akseer N, Zasowski C, Szatmari P, Bhutta ZA. Suicidal behaviours among adolescents from 90 countries: A pooled analysis of the global school-based student health survey, vol. 20. BioMed Central: BMC Public Health; 2020.
35.
Shaikh MA, Lloyd J, Acquah E, Celedonia KL, Wilson ML. Suicide attempts and behavioral correlates among a nationally representative sample of school-attending adolescents in the Republic of Malawi. BMC Public Health. 2016;16(843):1.
36.
Miranda-Mendizabal A, Castellví P, Parés-Badell O, Alayo I, Almenara J, Alonso I, et al. Gender differences in suicidal behavior in adolescents and young adults: systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal studies. Int J Public Health. 2019;64:265–83 Springer International Publishing.PubMedCrossRef
37.
Cui S, Cheng Y, Xu Z, Chen D, Wang Y. Peer relationships and suicide ideation and attempts among Chinese adolescents. Child Care Health Dev. 2011;37(5):692–702.PubMedCrossRef
38.
Maniam T, Marhani M, Firdaus M, Kadir AB, Mazni MJ, Azizul A, et al. Risk factors for suicidal ideation, plans and attempts in Malaysia - Results of an epidemiological survey. Compr Psychiatry. 2014;55:S121–125.PubMedCrossRef
39.
Bilsker D, White J. The silent epidemic of male suicide. BC Med J. 2011;53(10):529–34.
40.
Beautrais AL. Suicide and serious suicide attempts in youth: a multiple-group comparison study. Am J Psychiatry. 2003;160(6):1093–9.PubMedCrossRef
41.
Ahmad NA, Cheong SM, Ibrahim N, Rosman A. Suicidal ideation among Malaysian adolescents. Asia-Pacific journal of public health / Asia-Pacific Academic Consortium for Public Health. 2014;26(5S):635–95.
42.
Chen PCY, Lai KL, Kam CW, Kaur J. Factors relating to adolescent suicidal behavior: a cross-sectional Malaysian school survey. J Adolesc Health. 2005;37(4):337.e11–337.e16.CrossRef
43.
Morris P, Maniam T. Ethnicity and Suicidal Behaviour in Malaysia: A Review of the Literature. Transcult Psychiatry. 2001;38(1):51–63.CrossRef
44.
45.
Modecki KL, Minchin J, Harbaugh AG, Guerra NG, Runions KC. Bullying prevalence across contexts: A meta-analysis measuring cyber and traditional bullying. J Adolesc Health. 2014;55:602–11 Elsevier Inc.PubMedCrossRef
46.
47.
48.
Yang T, Guo L, Hong F, Wang Z, Yu Y, Lu C. Association between bullying and suicidal behavior among chinese adolescents: An analysis of gender differences. Psychol Res Behav Manag. 2020;13:89–96.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef
49.
Rahman MM, Rahman MM, Khan MMA, Hasan M, Choudhury KN. Bullying victimization and adverse health behaviors among school-going adolescents in South Asia: Findings from the global school-based student health survey. Depress Anxiety. 2020;37(10):995–1006.PubMedCrossRef
50.
Romo ML, Kelvin EA. Impact of bullying victimization on suicide and negative health behaviors among adolescents in Latin America. Rev Panam Salud Publica. 2016;40(5):347–55. Available from: http://​www.​cdc.​gov/​gshs/​.
51.
Shayo FK, Lawala PS. Does bullying predict suicidal behaviors among in-school adolescents? A cross-sectional finding from Tanzania as an example of a low-income country. BMC Psychiatry. 2019;19(400):1–6.
52.
Arango A, Opperman KJ, Gipson PY, King CA. Suicidal ideation and suicide attempts among youth who report bully victimization, bully perpetration and/or low social connectedness. J Adolesc. 2016;1(51):19–29.CrossRef
53.
Copeland WE, Wolke D, Angold A, Costello EJ. Adult psychiatric outcomes of bullying and being bullied by peers in childhood and adolescence. JAMA Psychiat. 2013;70(4):419–26.CrossRef
54.
Espelage DL, Holt MK. Suicidal ideation and school bullying experiences after controlling for depression and delinquency. J Adolesc Health. 2013;53:S27–31.PubMedCrossRef
55.
Hertz MF, Donato I, Wright J. Bullying and suicide: a public health approach. J  Adolesc Health. 2013;53:S1–3. USA: Elsevier.
56.
Hepburn L, Azrael D, Molnar B, Miller M. Bullying and suicidal behaviors among urban high school youth. J Adolesc Health. 2012;51(1):93–5.PubMedCrossRef
57.
Garnefski N, René R, Diekstra FW. Adolescents from one parent, stepparent and intact families: emotional problems and suicide attempts. J Adolesc. 1997;20:201–08.
58.
Georgiades K, Boylan K, Duncan L, Wang L, Colman I, Afifi TO, et al. Prevalence and Correlates of Youth Suicidal Ideation and Attempts: Evidence from the 2014 Ontario Child Health Study. Can J Psychiat. 2019;64(4):265–74.CrossRef
59.
Zhang J, Dong N, Delprino R, Zhou L. Psychological strains found from in-depth interviews with 105 Chinese rural youth suicides. Arch Suicide Res. 2009;13(2):185–94.PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef
60.
Rees DI, Sabia JJ, Kumpas G. Anti-bullying laws and suicidal behaviors among teenagers. J Policy Anal Manage. 2022;41(3):787–823.CrossRef
Metadata
Title
Suicide attempt among Malaysian school-going adolescents: relationship with bullying
Authors
Siaw Hun Liew
Mohamad Aznuddin Abd Razak
Mohd Shaiful Azlan Kassim
Noor Ani Ahmad
LeeAnn Tan
Publication date
01-12-2023
Publisher
BioMed Central
Keywords
Suicide
Suicide
Published in
BMC Public Health / Issue 1/2023
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2458
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-023-17019-2

Other articles of this Issue 1/2023

BMC Public Health 1/2023 Go to the issue

Research

Aerobic, muscle-strengthening, and flexibility physical activity and risks of all-cause and cause-specific mortality: a population-based prospective cohort of Korean adults

Research

Are the different cut-off points for sitting time associated with excess weight in adults? A population based study in Latin America

Research

Association of liver function with health-related physical fitness: a cross-sectional study

Research

The impact of COVID-19 on the changes in health behaviours among Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities in the United Kingdom (UK): a scoping review

Research

Influences and patterns of intimate partner violence among married Akha and Lahu women in northern Thailand

Research

Predictors and consequences of homelessness in whole-population observational studies that used administrative data: a systematic review