STIGMA, KNOWLEDGE OF SUICIDE AND PSYCHOLOGICAL PROFILE OF ADULTS AT RISK OF SUICIDE IN TWO CITIES OF RURAL MINAS GERAIS, BRAZIL

Abstract

Introduction: Suicide is a public health problem, and the identification of risk and protective factors can assist in the creation of public policies aimed at reducing the prevalence of ideation and/or attempts. Objective: The present study aimed to trace the psychological and demographic profile of adults at risk of suicide from two cities with suicide rates above the national average. Method: The 29 participants were selected by convenience and answered a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20), the Stigma of Suicide Scale - Short Form (SOSS-SF) and the Literacy of Suicide Scale - Short Form (LOSS-SF). Results: The results indicated clinical levels of psychiatric symptoms in 60.8% of the participants. It was also perceived that there is a negative correlation between religiosity, normalization and/or glorification of suicide and that there is a positive relationship between schooling and knowledge about suicide, as well as less stigma against people who commit suicide. Conclusion: The study was able to show that younger people tend to present more internalizing symptoms and that people who use substances are less likely to normalize or glorify suicide. It also showed a relationship between higher education, greater knowledge about suicide and less stigma against those who commit it.