Pediatrics Health

Biography

Biography: Maria Helena de Agrela Goncalves Jardim

Abstract

Introduction: The promotion of mental health of young people is one of the key fundamentals facing the world in the third millennium. Abrupt environmental changes that experience in everyday life put youths faced with situations of hostility and uncertainty, often creating mental disorders especially depression and suicide. Therefore, reflected the importance of the early detection of mental problems of young people in school context for future universities function as prime locations for culture and education aimed at social maturation of young, boosting the social adjustment individual and your own socialization. The scientific evidence and the worldwide health agencies warn of the vital need to promote the mental health of adolescents and young adult.

Objectives: In this context, the authors developed a study whose aim is to evaluate the level of suicidal risk and depression of young students from 12 to 18 years of the Autonomous Region of Madeira (RAM), Portugal. In the same way intends to select intervention strategies for mental health promotion and prevention in young people, on the basis of the data obtained.

Methodology: It is a cross-sectional study, descriptive, analytical and inferential study a representative sample (n = 1557) and stratified, probabilistic of both sexes by municipality of RAM, who attend normal schooling (elective year 2014-2015), with a sampling error of 1.2%. The selected measuring instruments were the Stork Suicidal Risk Scale and the Zung Depression Scale.

Results: The average age of young people is 15.2 years, 55.2% female. Most shows no depression (81.5%), or suicidal risk (67.7%). However as regards depression noted that 18.5% have depressive mood (18.2%) and major depression (0.3%). As for the risk suicidal 16.8% of young people should be the subject of concern, as 10.1% reveal weak risk, 4.0% showed important suicidal risk and 2.7% suicidal risk is extremely important.

Table 1-characteristics of the sample in terms of suicidal risk and depression

Table 2 – correlation between the suicidal risk and the depression

According to increase schooling increases the risk of suicide and depression, as well as on the basis of the number of Deprecations. The marital status of the parent’s influence on depression and suicidal risk (p = 0.001; p = 0.003), being most evident in young people whose parents are not married. The fact that the youth they deal with disease (p = 0.000; p = 0.038), alcohol consumption (p = 0.000 and p = 0.003) and socializing with colleagues (p = 0.000; p = 0.000) influences significantly the two mental illnesses. The taking drugs only influences the risk suicidal (p = 0.000) and not practice sports only contributes to the risk of depression (p = 0.000). The data found in this study corroborate with most of the surveys consulted, which implies an urgent need for more studies and in older adolescents who enter higher education or who begin to work.

Conclusions: These results are a contribution on the scarce existing statistics in this field of action, depression and risk of suicide. In universities, is relevant and a priority to create a strategy that encompasses training programs of coping strategies and coaching, aimed at reducing the stigma about mental health, in order to facilitate applications for aid in situations of upheaval and rethink the true meaning that life holds for each and your community. In the future Study the risk and suicidal depression is a challenge for future research in college students by comparing Portugal and Brazil to develop strategic programs for the promotion of mental health of young people and implementation of social and educational policies to prevent these mental disorders.