Abstract
The objective was to determine if suicide-related behavior (SRB) and health-related quality of life (HRQL) are associated and whether this association is independent of substance use, violence, and sociodemographic variables. It involved a cross-sectional study with 1,229 Mexican university students: 62.4% women; 37.6% men; age 18.2± .6 years. The YRBS and KISDSCREEN questionnaires were applied. The results were as follows: 14.2% students reported despair; 4.7% had suicidal ideation (SI); 4% had suicidal tendencies (ST); and 2.3% had attempted suicide. Multiple logistic regression models show that despair increased the possibility of lower scores in all HRQL domains except economic resources with odds ratio OR (CI 95%) ranging from 1.5 (1.0-2.3) for autonomy to 4.6 (3.1-6.8) for state of mind. The SI increased the possibility of a lower score in relationships with parents and family life (3.9, 1.7-8.9) and in friends and social support (2.9, 1.3-6.4). The ST increased the possibility for lower physical (2.7, 1.2-6.1) and psychological well-being (3.1, 1.3-7.2). HRQL is associated with SRB among Mexican students even after adjustment for substance use and violence. It highlights the fact that despair is negatively associated with different domains of the HRQL of the students.
Key words
Attempted suicide; Suicidal ideation; Quality of life; Adolescent; Students