@article{ref1,
title="Change in suicidal ideation and associated factors among young adults in Hong Kong from 2018 to 2019: a latent transition analysis",
journal="Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology",
year="2021",
author="Fong, Ted C. T. and Cheng, Qijin and Yip, Paul S. F.",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="PURPOSE: Suicide in young adulthood is a vital public health concern. There have been few systematic studies that examined the prevalence and transition of suicidal ideation classes in young adults and the factors associated with the transition. <br><br>METHODS: This two-wave survey recruited 1269 young adults (Mean age = 24.0 years, 70.1% males) in Hong Kong. The participants completed the Suicidal Ideation Attributes Scale, Chinese Health Questionnaire, and help-seeking behaviors in 2018 and 2019. Latent profile analysis was used to classify the participants into latent classes of suicidal ideation with substantive checking under the 3-step approach. Latent transition analysis with measurement invariance examined the transition among the latent classes from 2018 to 2019 and the associations with help-seeking behaviors and change in psychological distress. <br><br>RESULTS: Three latent classes of suicidal ideation were identified and over two-thirds of the participants belonged to the Low-risk class with minimal suicidal ideation. The prevalence of the High-risk class dropped from 10.2 to 7.2%, while that of the Moderate-risk class remained stable from 2018 to 2019. Increases in psychological distress predicted higher probabilities to remain at or transit into more risky classes. Engagement in help-seeking behaviors showed differential transitions in suicidal ideation across time. <br><br>CONCLUSION: The findings suggest three latent classes of suicidal ideation with distinct profiles among the young adults. Deterioration in psychological distress showed a temporal effect on worsening of suicidal ideation over a 1-year period. Future studies should elucidate the comparative effectiveness of help-seeking behaviors via online and offline channels.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0933-7954",
doi="10.1007/s00127-021-02203-9",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00127-021-02203-9"
}