(PS9-C72) Levels of Suicide Stigma and Literacy in Spanish Speaking Population

Background: Suicide is a serious public health problem. Many people who experience suicidal ideation and behaviour do not seek professional help. One of the obstacles is the social stigma attached to these conditions. The literature shows that literacy about suicide could mediate in reducing negative perceptions of individuals who experience suicidal ideation and increase help-seeking behavior.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to analyze the levels of suicide stigma and literacy in a Spanish-speaking sample and explore the relations between these variables and different sociodemographic and clinical variables.

Method: The sample was composed of 678 Spanish-speaking participants (78.9% women, mean age= 28 years; SD= 10.97). They answered: The stigma of Suicide Scale and The Literacy of Suicide Scale. Furthermore, questions about sociodemographic and clinical variables (depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation), their religious beliefs, and knowledge about available resources for receiving help.

Results: The mean score for stigma was 2.41 (SD=0.47). The highest-scoring subscale was depression/loneliness. Regarding literacy, the mean number of correct answers was 6.93 (SD=2.07) out of 12 questions. The poorest knowledge was regarding signs and symptoms of suicide, followed by risk factors. The results showed a positive and significant correlation between stigma and: suicidal ideation (r=0.18) and religious beliefs (r=0.19). Regarding socio-demographic variables, the results showed a negative and significant correlation between stigma and age (r=-0.106), males scored significantly higher in stigma than females, and, considering cultural differences, the Latin American population scored significantly higher in stigma than the Spanish population. Moreover, 14.74% (n=100) of the sample identified themselves as part of the LGTBIQ+ community. Total stigma levels in this subgroup were significantly higher than in the other subgroup. Moreover, the stigma was significantly higher among people who reported having experienced suicide death in their intimate circle (p=0.04) compared who not, and among those who do not know where to seek help in case of suffering suicidal ideation or behavior, compared who those who know. Finally, knowledge about suicide predicted less stigma (β=-.23, t= -2.63, p= 0.009)

Conclusion: These results show the presence of public stigma and poor literacy in the Spanish-speaking population and different variables related to more stigma. In addition, individuals experiencing suicidal ideation may internalize this stigma, exacerbating their distress and lowering the likelihood of seeking support. This is important to bear in mind, especially in groups that suffer from stigma due to more than one factor, such as the LGTBQ+ community. Suicide rates are also high amongst these vulnerable groups who experience discrimination. Knowledge about suicide predicts less stigma, thus, promoting suicide literacy could be an essential intervention strategy related to suicide prevention. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of the attitudes and beliefs toward suicide, which could have important implications for the development of effective prevention strategies.