Binge drinking and suicidal ideation in Peruvian adolescents: Evidence from a pooled cross-sectional survey

Binge drinking and suicidal ideation are public health problems that have consequences on the well-being of Peruvian adolescents. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between binge drinking and suicidal ideation in Peruvian adolescents. A secondary data analysis of the health questionnaire of the Demographic and Family Health Surveys from 2013 to 2019 was performed. The outcome variable was suicidal ideation in the last 14 days, assessed with one of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) questions, while the independent variable was binge drinking in the last 30 days. Generalized linear models of the Poisson family with logarithmic link (crude and adjusted) were used to assess the association of interest. Data from a total of 11,609 participants were analyzed. The pooled prevalence of suicidal ideation was 8.5 % (95 % confidence interval [CI]: 7.8–9.2), and that of binge drinking was 5.8 % (95 % CI: 5.2–6.5). An association was found between binge drinking and suicidal ideation in the adjusted analysis (adjusted prevalence ratio: 2.95; 95 % CI: 1.69–3.09). The cross-sectional design of the study does not allow for establishing a causal relationship. Between 2013 and 2019, nine out of every 100 Peruvian adolescents had suicidal ideation, and six out of every 100 adolescents had binge drinking. An association was found between both risk behaviors in Peruvian adolescents. •Suicidal ideation is a health problem affecting 9 % of Peruvian adolescents.•Binge drinking is a social and health problem that affects 6 % of Peruvian adolescents.•Our study found an association between both problems in Peruvian adolescents.•Identification of binge drinking should be a mandatory criterion in mental health assessment.