Abstract :
[en] This report presents findings on suicidal behaviour among adolescents aged 13 to 18 years attending secondary schools in Luxembourg between 2006 and 2022. It examines trends and inequalities in sadness, suicidal ideation, suicide planning, and suicide attempts, based on nationally representative data from the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) survey waves.
Gender differences are evident across all indicators: compared with boys, girls reported sadness, suicidal thoughts, planning, and attempts more frequently. Age patterns differed across outcomes, with suicidal ideation and planning more frequent in mid-adolescence, and attempts reported more often by younger students. Other sociodemographic characteristics, such as family affluence, nationality, and school type, were also associated with differences in suicidality. Inequalities by family affluence were most pronounced, while those by nationality and school type were moderate.
This report further explores how health behaviours cluster into distinct lifestyle patterns combining diet, physical activity, substance use, and social media use. The analyses show that adolescents engaging in multiple risk behaviours (e.g., smoking, alcohol use, vaping, low physical activity, unhealthy diet, and problematic social media use) are more likely to report suicidal ideation or attempts, while those abstaining from substance use show lower levels of risk.
Finally, the report highlights the heightened vulnerability of gender minority adolescents, who report substantially higher levels of suicidal ideation and attempts than their cisgender peers. The findings underscore the need for inclusive and identity-affirming environments, as well as integrated prevention efforts that address both social inequalities and everyday health behaviours.
