Suicide poses a significant public health concern, particularly among adolescents and youth exposed to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). However, little research exists on understanding ACEs’ prevalence and suicidality consequences in Zimbabwe. Therefore, this study examined the prevalence and association between individual and cumulative ACEs with suicide risk among adolescents and youth in Zimbabwe. The study utilized data from the 2017 Zimbabwe Violence Against Children Survey (ZVACS) for males and females aged 13 to 24 (N = 8,715). Prevalence estimates were determined using chi-square tests, and four logistic regression models were employed to assess the association between individual and cumulative ACEs with suicide risk. 31.8% of the participants reported lifetime suicidal ideations or attempts. Participants who experienced emotional violence (69.1%), sexual violence (58.4%), witnessed community violence (47.0%), witnessed physical violence (53.2%), experienced physical violence (44.6%), orphaned (38.8%) and experienced cumulative ACEs (35.3%) reported lifetime suicidal ideations or attempts. Similarly, experiencing individual ACEs (physical and sexual violence, witnessing physical and community violence, and being orphaned) and cumulative ACEs were significantly associated with a higher risk of reporting lifetime suicidal ideations or attempts among the participants in the regression models. These findings underscore the importance of implementing strategies for preventing ACEs and suicide risk behaviors and enforcing effective child welfare policies. Future research should conduct longitudinal designs to investigate the specific ACEs that contribute most strongly to increased suicide risk among adolescents and youth in Zimbabwe.

自杀构成了重大的公共卫生问题，特别是对于经历过不良童年经历 (ACE) 的青少年和青年。然而，关于津巴布韦 ACE 的流行率和自杀后果的研究很少。因此，本研究调查了津巴布韦青少年中个体和累积 ACE 与自杀风险之间的患病率和关联。该研究利用了 2017 年津巴布韦针对 13 至 24 岁男性和女性的暴力侵害儿童调查 (ZVACS) 的数据 (N = 8,715)。使用卡方检验确定患病率估计值，并采用四种逻辑回归模型来评估个体和累积 ACE 与自杀风险之间的关联。 31.8% 的参与者表示有过自杀念头或企图。经历过情感暴力（69.1%）、性暴力（58.4%）、目睹社区暴力（47.0%）、目睹身体暴力（53.2%）、经历过身体暴力（44.6%）、孤儿（38.8%）和经历过累积ACE的参与者(35.3%) 报告一生有自杀念头或企图。同样，在回归模型中，经历过个人 ACE（身体暴力和性暴力、目睹身体暴力和社区暴力以及成为孤儿）和累积 ACE 与报告终生自杀意念或企图的较高风险显着相关。这些发现强调了实施预防 ACE 和自杀风险行为的策略以及执行有效的儿童福利政策的重要性。未来的研究应进行纵向设计，以调查对津巴布韦青少年自杀风险增加影响最大的特定 ACE。