Suicide risk and influencing factors among left-behind children in rural areas of Jiangsu province

Objective To investigate the prevalence and influential factors of suicide risk among left-behind children in the rural areas of Jiangsu province.Methods Positive and Negative Suicide Ideation (PANSI) and Suicide Attitude Questionnaire (QSA) were administered to 961 primary and middle school children of grade 5 to 8(including 418 left left-behind children) selected with cluster sampling in a district of Nanjing city and a county of Yancheng city between June and July 2016.Results The score for suicide ideation of the left-behind children was significantly higher than that of non-left-behind children (23.24±7.38 vs.21.18±5.85)(t=-4.83,P<0.001);but there was no significant difference in suicide attitude between the two groups (87.30±9.62 vs.87.82±10.13)(t=0.82,P>0.05).The years of parents' migration for working was a significant influential factor of suicide ideation among the left-behind children (P< 0.01);the suicide ideation was significantly influenced by gender,school grade,and whether being an only child among the non-left-behind children.School grade was a significant influential factors for suicide attitude among both left-behind children and non-left-behind children (both P<0.05).The suicide attitude was reversely correlated significantly with suicide ideation among left-behind children (r=-0.22,P<0.001).Conclusion Left-behind children are at a higher suicide risk than non-left-behind children.The findings suggest that the public should pay more attention to living condition and mental health of left-behind children.