Suicidal Behaviour and Its Correlates Among Psychiatric Outpatients in Lagos, Nigeria
Olushola Olibamoyo, Ifeoluwa Daniel, Babasola Adetiloye.
Background: Suicide remains a significant but under-documented public health problem in Nigeria, particularly among psychiatric outpatients. Recent local data on suicidal behaviour, validated screening tools, and associated clinical predictors are scarce. This study assessed the prevalence and determinants of suicidal behaviour among adult psychiatric patients attending a tertiary outpatient clinic in Lagos.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) from 1–30 September 2025. Consecutive adults aged 18–64 years were recruited until the calculated minimum sample size of 146 was reached. 152 patients completed the survey. Psychiatric diagnoses were made by consultant psychiatrists using ICD-10 criteria. Suicidal behaviour was assessed with the Suicidal Behaviours Questionnaire-Revised (SBQ-R), using the validated Nigerian cut-off ≥8. Hopelessness was measured with the Beck Hopelessness Scale. Variables significant at p ≤ 0.05 on bivariate analysis were entered into a multivariable logistic regression model, with adjusted odds ratios (AORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) reported.
Results: The lifetime prevalence of suicidal ideation and attempts was 48.7% and 28.9%, respectively. Current suicidal behaviour (SBQ-R ≥ 8) was present in 30.3% of participants. After adjustment, psychotic symptoms (AOR = 11.91, 95% CI = 2.07–68.38, p = 0.005) and severe hopelessness (AOR = 101.11, 95% CI = 12.01–851.00, p < 0.001) were the strongest independent predictors of suicidal behaviour. Age (≤35 years), diagnosis (Depression), and medication non-adherence were significant in the bivariate association with suicidal behaviour but were not significant in the final model.
Conclusion: Suicidal behaviour is common among psychiatric outpatients in Lagos. Severe hopelessness and psychotic symptoms, rather than diagnosis alone, were the key independent predictors. Routine screening using validated tools such as the SBQ-R and targeted management of hopelessness and psychotic symptoms may strengthen suicide-prevention efforts in Nigerian outpatient settings. Further multicentre studies with longer data-collection periods are recommended to improve representativeness.
