Citation

Goodman ML, Puffer ES, Keiser PH, Gitari S. J. Health Psychol. 2017; ePub(ePub): 1359105317743803.

Affiliation

Maua Methodist Hospital, Kenya.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/1359105317743803

PMID

29192523

Abstract

Suicide is a leading cause of global mortality. Suicide clusters have recently been identified among peer networks in high-income countries. This study investigates dynamics of suicide clustering within social networks of young Kenya men ( n = 532; 18-34 years). We found a strong, statistically significant association between reported number of friends who previously attempted suicide and present suicide ideation (odds ratio = 1.9; 95% confidence interval (1.42, 2.54); p < 0.001). This association was mediated by lower collective self-esteem (23% of total effect). Meaning in life further mediated the association between collective self-esteem and suicide ideation. Survivors of peer suicide should be evaluated for suicide risk.

Language: en

Keywords

Kenya; collective self-esteem; meaning in life; social cluster; suicide ideation; young men