Factors associated with suicidal ideation among university students

cross-sectional study, carried out with 637 students of the Federal University of Mato Grosso. The presence of suicidal ideation, demographic and socioeconomic variables, use of alcohol through the Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test, and depressive symptoms (Major Depression Inventory) were investigated. Bivariate analysis was performed with the Chi-square test and multivariate analysis using the Poisson regression model.

Results:

it was found that 9.9% of the students had suicidal thoughts in the previous 30 days and, in the bivariate analysis, the variables economic class, sexual orientation, religious practice, suicide attempts in the family and among friends, alcohol consumption and depressive symptoms were associated with suicidal ideation. In the multivariate analysis sexual orientation, suicide attempts in the family and the presence of depressive symptoms remained as associated factors.

Conclusion:

these findings constitute a situational diagnosis that enables the formulation of academic policies and preventive actions to confront this situation on the university campus.

Descriptors:
Suicidal Ideation; Univesities, Students; Adolescent; Risk Factors

Escola de Enfermagem de Ribeirão Preto / Universidade de São Paulo Av. Bandeirantes, 3900, 14040-902 Ribeirão Preto SP Brazil, Tel.: +55 (16) 3315-3451 / 3315-4407 - Ribeirão Preto - SP - Brazil
E-mail: rlae@eerp.usp.br

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[1] Corresponding Author: Hugo Gedeon Barros dos Santos Hospital Universitário Julio Muller. Unidade de Atenção Psicossocial Rua Luis Philippe Pereira Leite, s/n Bairro: Alvorada CEP: 78048-902, Cuiabá, MT, Brasil E-mail: hugobarros_te@hotmail.com

Variables		Yes		No		PR_b *	95% CI^†	P-value
Variables		n	(%)	n	(%)
Age					(%)
	18 to 24 years	48	(10.8)	397	(89.2)	2.40	(0.89; 6.49)	0.068
	25 to 31 years	11	(10.7)	92	(89.3)	2.38	(0.78; 7.20)	0.111
	32 years or more	4	(4.5)	85	(95.5)	1.00	-	-
Gender
	Female	39	(11.5)	300	(88.5)	1.45	(0.88; 2.32)	0.143
	Male	24	(8.0)	274	(92.0)	1.00	-	-
Marital Status
	Single	58	(11.0)	485	(89.0)	2.01	(0.83; 4.88)	0.108
	Married	5	(5.0)	89	(95.0)	1.00	-	-
Economic class
	C1, C2 and D-E	39	(11.8)	292	(88.2)	1.69	(1.01; 2.83)	0.042
	A, B1 and B2	20	(7.0)	267	(93.0)	1.00	-	-
Live alone
	Yes	12	(11.5)	92	(88.5)	1.19	(0.66; 2.18)	0.538
	No	51	(9.6)	482	(90.4)	1.00	-	-
Sexual orientation
	Homosexual	10	(20.0)	40	(80.0)	2.54	(1.37; 4.74)	0.008EF^‡
	Bisexual	9	(33.0)	18	(67.0)	4.24	(2.32; 7.76)	<0.001EF
	Heterosexual	44	(7.9)	516	(92.1)	1.00	-	-
Religious practice
	No	35	(16.3)	180	(83.7)	2.45	(1.54; 3.92)	<0.001
	Yes	28	(6.6)	394	(93.4)	1.00	-	-
Years of the course
	1^st and 2^nd years	39	(9.4)	374	(90.5)	0.88	(0.54; 1.43)	0.608
	3^rd , 4^th and 5^th years	24	(10.7)	200	(89.2)	1.00	-	-

Variables		Yes		No		PRb*	95% CI^†	P-value
Variables		n	(%)	n	(%)	PRb*	95% CI^†	P-value
Attempted suicide in the family								<0.001
	Yes	26	(22.4)	90	(77.6)	3.15	(1.99; 4.99)
	No	37	(7.1)	484	(92.9)	1.00	-	-
Suicide in the family								0.118
	Yes	9	(15.8)	48	(84.2)	1.69	(0.88; 3.25)
	No	54	(9.3)	526	(90.7)	1.00	-	-
Attempted suicide among friends								0.006
	Yes	28	(15.0)	159	(85.0)	1.92	(1.20; 3.07)
	No	35	(7.8)	415	(92.2)	1.00	-	-
Suicide among friends								0.254
	Yes	11	(13.4)	71	(86.6)	1.42	(0.77; 2.62)
	No	52	(9.4)	502	(90.6)	1.00	-	-

Variables		Yes		No		PRb*	95% CI^†	P-value
Variables		n	(%)	n	(%)
Alcohol consumption								0.002
	Moderate/high risk	28	(15.9)	148	(84.1)	2.10	(1.31 ; 3.34)
	Low risk	35	(7.6)	426	(92.4)	1.00	-	-
Presence of depressive symptoms								<0.001
	Yes	57	(21.4)	210	(78.6)	13.3	(5.75 ; 29.9)
	No	6	(1.4)	363	(98.6)	1.00	-	-

Variables	PRa*	95% CI^†	P-value
Sexual orientation (homosexual)	2.05	(1.20 ; 3.52)	0.009
Sexual orientation (bisexual)	2.37	(1.27 ; 4.44)	0.007
Suicide attempt in the family	2.30	(1.48 ; 3.58)	<0.001
Depressive symptoms	11.00	(4.71 ; 25.70)	<0.001

Brasil

Brasil

Factors associated with suicidal ideation among university students1 1 Paper extracted from Master's Thesis "Ideação Suicida e fatores Associados em Estudantes Universitários", presented to Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Cuiabá, MT, Brazil.

ABSTRACT

Objective:

Methods:

Results:

Conclusion:

Factors associated with suicidal ideation among university students^¹ 1 Paper extracted from Master's Thesis "Ideação Suicida e fatores Associados em Estudantes Universitários", presented to Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Cuiabá, MT, Brazil.