Suicidal ideation in Chilean Prisons: Findings From a National Study

Incarcerated individuals are a population at greater risk of suicide, especially in Latin America, given the precarious conditions of confinement. Based on a national study conducted in Chile, this article analyzes suicidal ideation among a sample of 1,159 inmates from 20 facilities. Employing both the MQPL and the GHQ-12 instruments, the OLS regression model explained 36.5% of suicide ideation, with some predictors including perceived discrimination, experiences of suffering, stay in punishment, tense environment, and sadness. Suicide prevention efforts may be improved through periodic uses of both MQPL and GHQ-12 instruments.