Abstract
OBJECTIVE: to determine risk factors for suicidal behavior among students and employees of a federal public university in the Brazilian Western Amazon. METHODS: an analytical cross-sectional study of survey and association between variables with a sample of 475 participants. Statistical analyzes were performed using the Mann-Whitney test, Pearson's chi-square test, likelihood ratio test or Fisher's exact test and a logistic regression model. A significance level of 5% was used (p-value< 0.05). RESULTS: a higher proportion of suicidal behavior was found in younger participants, females, who had no religion or had one, but were non-practicing, who did not have children and/or had a monthly family income of less than two minimum wages. Lower proportions of suicidal behavior were identified in heterosexuals and/or married or in a stable relationship. CONCLUSION: the study suggests a relationship between sociodemographic factors and suicidal behavior in the studied academic community.