Background Suicide among adolescents and young people is increasing worldwide, is most often among males; while the attempted suicide (AS) is most often in female. Findings of the National Health and Nutrition Survey 2012 (ENSANUT) in Mexico showed that prevalence of AS sometime in life in young people, was 2.7%. In 9 of the 32 Mexicans states the prevalence is between 3.5% and 5%.

Objective To estimate the prevalence of attempted suicide in a sample of Mexicans high school students.

Methods A cross-sectional study with a sample of students of the ‘technical high school 6’ of Tlayacapan, Morelos. We applied Questionnaire for Psychosocial Indicators for Depression and Suicide with students of 1 st to 3rd grade.

Findings A total of 383 students answered the questionnaire. The average age in this population is 13 years, 53% are women, and 43.8% have consumed one glass of alcohol at least once. Prevalence to attempted suicide is 14.0% (95% CI 10.8 to 17.9), significantly higher in women than in men: 20.1% (95% CI 14.9 to 26.4) vs 7.2% (95% CI 3.9 to 12.0) respectively; 48.1% of those who have tried, have done it more than once and 68.5% tried it with sharps; 13% report received hospital care, 26% psychological support or psychotherapy or 61% support from a family member.

Conclusions policy implications One the most important predictor of suicide is a previous attempt, for this reason is necessary to generate scientific evidence to define and adopt programs and policies of prevention, specific to young people.