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Table 1 Independent variable derivation from GSHS survey data 2009

From: Suicide attempts and behavioral correlates among a nationally representative sample of school-attending adolescents in the Republic of Malawi

Survey question

Coding

Variable

Demographic variables

 How old are you?

11 – 16 years (coded categorical

Age

 What is your sex?

Male (1)

Sex

Female (0)

Dependent variable

 During the past 12 months, did you ever seriously consider attempting suicide?

No (0)

Suicide ideation

Yes (1)

 During the past 12 months, did you make a plan about how you attempt suicide?

No (0)

Suicide planning

Yes (1)

Independent variables

 During the past 12 months, how often have you been so worried about something that you could not sleep at night?

Most of the time/always (yes)

Anxiety

Never/rarely/sometimes (no)

 During the past 12 months, how often have you felt lonely

Most of the time/always (yes)

Loneliness

Never/rarely/sometimes (no)

 During the past 30 days, how often did you go hungry because there was not enough food in your home?

Most of the time/always (yes)

Food deprivation

Never/rarely/sometimes (no)

 How many close friends do you have?

0, 1, 2, and 3 or more friends (coded continuous)

Close friends

 During the past 30 days, on how many days were you bullied?

3 or more days (bullied)

Bullying victimization

 During the past 30 days, how were you bullied most often?

I was hit, kicked, pushed, shoved around, or locked indoors (physical bullying)

Physical bullying

 Which of your parents or guardians use any form of tobacco?

Father, mother, or male/female guardians (yes)

Parental tobacco use

Any other (no)

 During the past 7 days, on how many days have people smoked in your presence?

0 days (0)

Days people smoked in presence during the last week

1–2 days (1)

3–4 days I(32)

5–7 days (4) (coded continuous)

 During the past 12 months, how many times were you in a physical fight?

0 – 1 times (no)

Physical fight

2 – 12 or more times (yes)

 During the past 12 months, how many times were you seriously injured?

0 – 1 times (no)

Serious injury

2 – 12 or more times (yes)

 How old were you when you had sexual intercourse for the first time?

Never having sexual intercourse and having sexual intercourse at age 15 or higher (no)

Early sexual debut

Other responses (yes)

 During your life, with how many people have you had sexual intercourse?

0 – 6 people (coded continuous)

Lifetime sexual partners

 How old were you when you had your first drink of alcohol other than a few sips?

Never had an alcoholic drink and having it at age 16 and older (no use of alcohol)

Alcohol use at early age

Other responses (use of alcohol)

 During the past 30 days, on how many days did you have at least one drink containing alcohol?

0 days (no)

1 – 30 days (yes)

Alcohol use in the past 30 days