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Knowledge and attitudes about suicide in 25-year-olds
Annette L Beautrais1, L John Horwood, David M Fergusson
1Canterbury Suicide Project, Christchurch School of Medicine and Health Sciences, PO Box 4345, Christchurch, New Zealand. suicide@chmeds.ac.nz
The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry
|March 25, 2004
Summary
Young people in New Zealand overestimate youth suicide rates and hold mixed attitudes toward suicide. Media is their primary information source, raising concerns about normalization and the need for accurate public health messaging.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Psychology
- Sociology
Background:
- Youth suicide is a significant public health concern.
- Understanding young people's perceptions is crucial for effective prevention strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess knowledge and attitudes regarding suicide among 25-year-old New Zealanders.
- To identify information sources influencing these views.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study of a 1977 birth cohort (n=1265) followed for 25 years.
- Data collected at age 25 via a questionnaire on suicide knowledge and attitudes.
Main Results:
- Participants demonstrated poor knowledge of youth suicide prevalence, overestimating both the number of deaths and the proportion of total suicides.
- The media was the most common source of information about suicide.
- Attitudes towards suicide were mixed (liberal and conservative), influenced by personal and family history of suicidal ideation or attempts, but not by gender or knowledge levels.
Conclusions:
- Young adults significantly overestimate youth suicide rates.
- Mixed attitudes and media's primary role highlight potential risks of suicide normalization.
- Accurate information dissemination by credible sources is essential for informed public understanding and suicide prevention.