Examining suicide literacy among emerging adult medical students in Puerto Rico

Suicide is a leading cause of death among emerging adults (EAs) worldwide, yet suicide literacy (SL) in this population remains understudied, particularly in Puerto Rico (PR). This study assessed SL among EAs enrolled at a medical school in PR and explored its association with knowing someone who had experienced suicidal ideation (SI) or attempted suicide (SA). A cross-sectional study was conducted with 102 participants aged 21-28 years. Participants completed a sociodemographic questionnaire and the Literacy of Suicide Scale (LOSS). The mean LOSS score was 19.25 out of 27 (71.3%), with a domain-specific pattern characterized by relatively higher performance in the treatment/prevention and lower performance in the recognition of signs and symptoms. Regression analysis revealed that knowing someone with lived experience of SI/SA was associated with higher SL scores, while gender was not significantly associated. These findings suggest that, although medical students may have general knowledge about suicide prevention, they may struggle to identify early warning signs. This study contributes to the emergent literature on SL among EAs globally and highlights the need for further research on SL domain-specific strengths and weaknesses.