(PS2-C54) Stigma and Literacy of Suicide in a Spanish-speaking Population

Friday, November 18, 2022

10:30 AM – 11:30 AM EST

Location: Westside Ballroom, 5th Floor

Author(s)

AZ

Angel Zamora, M.S.

Ph.D Student
Universitat de València
valencia, Comunidad Valenciana, Spain
MP

Maitena Pierantonelli, M.S.

Predoctoral Researcher
Universitat de València
Valencia, Comunidad Valenciana, Spain

Co-Author(s)

JB

Juana Maria Bretón-López, Ph.D.

Ph.D
Universitat Jaume I
Castellón, Comunidad Valenciana, Spain

Author(s)

AM

Adriana Mira, Ph.D.

Ph.D
Universitat de València
Valencia, Comunidad Valenciana, Spain

Co-Author(s)

RD

Rebeca Diego, Ph.D.

Ph.D
Universidad de las Américas Puebla
San Andrés Cholula, Puebla, Mexico

Author(s)

RB

Rosa M. Baños, Ph.D.

Professor
Universitat de València
Valencia, Comunidad Valenciana, Spain

Background: Suicide is a serious public health problem, being one of the main causes of death worldwide. Stigma of suicide and poor literacy about it constitute important barriers to suicide prevention since they are predictors of low rates of help-seeking behavior. However, knowledge about these variables is limited.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to analyze the levels of stigma and literacy of suicide in a Spanish-speaking sample, exploring the relations between these variables and different sociodemographic and clinical variables.

Method: The sample was composed of 440 participants (80.6% women, mean age =25.9, SD=10.95), who filled out: Stigma of Suicide Scale, Literacy of Suicide Scale, and Suicidal Ideation Attributes Scale. Furthermore, they answered sociodemographic religious beliefs and knowledge about help resources questions.

Results: A mean score of 2.65 (SD= .39) and 14.23 (SD= 3.73) were obtained in stigmatization and literacy, respectively. The most used adjectives in stigma scale corresponded to the depression subscale (M= 3.6, SD= .6). The results showed positive and significant correlations between male sex, age, degree of religious beliefs, poor literacy, suicidal ideation, and not knowing the help resources and stigma of suicide. Knowledge about the causes and nature of suicide predict less stigma (β=-.23, t= -2.63, p= .009).

Conclusion: These findings show the presence of public stigma and poor literacy in the Spanish-speaking population and important variables related to more stigma. Moreover, the results highlight the importance of literacy in the reduction of stigma. Hence, universal prevention strategies would consider the reduction of stigma and the improvement of literacy as important targets.