Factors influencing suicidal behaviors among youth in Bomet central sub-county

Abstract

The research report sought to investigate factors influencing suicidal behaviors among youth in Bomet Central Sub-County, Bomet County. Bomet County was situated in South Rift valley in Kenya. Bomet county had a population of 730 129 people (Kenya Census, 2009) and the main occupation was farming in rural areas and business activities in urban center. Suicidal behaviors among youth were very common especially in Bomet Central Sub-County. Suicidal behaviors among youth had become a problem not only to the affected family but also to the entire county; because of serious effects on medical care fee, injury and death. As a result, the researcher sought to study factors influencing suicidal behaviors among youth in Bomet Central SubCounty. The research was guided by the following objectives: Firstly, the researcher sought to determine the extent to which land influences suicidal behaviors among youth in Bomet Central Sub-County. Secondly, the researcher sought to determine the extent to which domestic conflicts influence suicidal behaviors among youth in Bomet Central Sub-County. Thirdly, the researcher sought to determine the extent to which alcoholism influences suicidal behaviors among youth in Bomet Central Sub-County. Fourthly, the researcher sought to determine the extent to which terminal illness influences suicidal behaviors among youth in Bomet Central Sub-County. The researcher used questionnaires for youth who indulged in suicidal behaviors and interview guides for health workers (doctors, social workers and psychological counselors) to obtain the data of the study in Bomet Central Sub-County. The target population was 70 youth who were involved in suicidal behaviors in Bomet Central Sub-County. In addition, the researcher targeted 10 Health workers who had encountered suicidal behaviors among youth using an interview guide. The researcher used both quantitative and qualitative methods to analyze the data. The researcher found out that majority of participants (60%) was aged between 22-27 years, middle level college and married. The most common method of suicide was by poison, 47.1%. Regarding the role of land issues influencing suicide, landlessness was the most common influence (38.0%) followed by land disputes. In addition, domestic conflicts influence suicidal behaviors whereby the most common responses reported assault in the family, 32.9%. Alcoholism influence suicidal behaviors whereby the most common responses reported addiction as having very high influence, followed by irresponsible in the family and by violence when drunk. Concerning the extent to which terminal illness influences suicidal behaviors among youth; the most common responses reported infection of HIV/AIDS having a very high influence. Finally, the researcher gave the following recommendations to mitigate suicidal behaviors among youth in Bomet Central Sub-County: firstly, proper policy of poisons management should be established in order to regulate on how to handle and to keep all dangerous poisons away from youth. Secondly, psychological counseling centers should be established in accessible places for quality management of domestic conflicts among youth. Thirdly, Land policy programs should avail relevant information to minimize land disputes among youth.