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Mental Disorders · Journal article
Ssm. Mental Health · May 30, 2026
Encouraging direction, but not yet definitive.
This cross-sectional study documents high prevalence of suicidal ideation (14% past 30 days) and lifetime attempts (22.2%) in two peri-urban Cape Town communities and quantifies associations with violence exposure, perceived stress, and depression. The associations are statistically significant but the cross-sectional design precludes causal inference, and findings may not generalize beyond the study setting.
Cross-sectional survey with standardized psychiatric diagnostic interviews. Adults aged ≥18 years, with and without HIV (2:1 recruitment ratio), at three public-sector facilities in two peri-urban communities in Cape Town. Baseline characteristics: 63.9% female; 65.4% living with HIV; median age 39 years.. Intervention: None; observational study examining correlates of suicidal ideation and behaviour.. n = 613. Two peri-urban communities in Cape Town, South Africa; three public-sector facilities..
Past 30-day suicidal ideation prevalence 14.0%; lifetime suicide attempt prevalence 22.2% High perceived stress associated with 33.58 percentage-point increase in suicidal ideation (95% CI 20.67–46.50) Depression associated with 27.13 percentage-point increase (95% CI 14.67–39.58); PTSD with 27.98 percentage-point increase (95% CI 12.12–43.84)
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Clinicians in low-income, high-violence settings should assess perceived stress, violence exposure, and mental disorders as major correlates of suicide risk, even when HIV status is not independently associated. These findings suggest interventions targeting stress reduction and violence prevention may reduce suicide risk alongside mental health treatment.
Cross-sectional study of high prevalence (14% past-month ideation, 22.2% lifetime attempts) with quantified associations to multiple correlates, but lacks causal inference and generalizability beyond two Cape Town communities.
As stated by the source record.
Quoted from the source exactly as published.
Clinicians in low-income, high-violence settings should assess perceived stress, violence exposure, and mental disorders as major correlates of suicide risk, even when HIV status is not independently associated. These findings suggest interventions targeting stress reduction and violence prevention may reduce suicide risk alongside mental health treatment.
Graded across the dimensions that decide whether you should act, each from what the source actually supports. There is no single score, and where a dimension was not assessed it says so.
Background. Suicidal thoughts and behaviours (STBs) are traditionally attributed to mental disorders; however, increasing evidence indicates that social determinants contribute to suicide risk. We examined STBs and their socioeconomic, psychosocial and clinical correlates in two communities in Cape Town.Methods. We conducted psychiatric diagnostic interviews (MINI) at three public-sector facilities (2023-2024). Adults aged ≥18 years, with and without HIV, were recruited in a 2:1 ratio. We examined associations between suicidal ideation and sociodemographic factors, violence exposure, perceived stress, mental disorders, and HIV, reporting average marginal effects (AME) as percentage-point differences in predicted probability.Results. We enrolled 613 participants (63.9% female; 65.4% living with HIV; median age 39). The prevalence of past 30-day suicidal ideation was 14.0%, while 22.2% reported a lifetime suicide attempt. Suicidal ideation was more likely among females (8.52 percentage points, 95% CI 3.08 -13.96), those reporting violence in the community (7.52, 0.87 -14.17) or in the family (14.09, 4.56 -23.62), those with moderate (7.76, 2.76 -12.77) or high perceived stress (33.58, 20.67 -46.50), and those with depression (27.13, 14.67 -39.58), post-traumatic stress disorder (27.98, 12.12 -43.84), or alcohol use disorder (8.34, 1.53 -15.15). Associations with high perceived stress and community violence persisted after adjustment for mental disorders. HIV status and other sociodemographic factors showed no evidence of association.Conclusion. STB prevalence was high in peri-urban communities in Cape Town and strongly associated with mental disorders, violence exposure, and perceived stress. These findings underscore the role of structural and psychosocial stressors in shaping suicide risk in low-income communities.
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