Factors associated with suicide ideation of healthcare university students

quantitative, cross-sectional study, with 251 students from the courses of radiology, speech-language therapy, medicine, nutrition, health service management, and nursing, from a federal higher education institution in the Southeast of Brazil. Data were collected from August to October 2019, using an electronic questionnaire.

Results:

the prevalence of suicidal ideation among participants was 26.33%. In the final logistic regression model, only depressive symptoms were associated with suicidal ideation. Having symptoms of depression increased the chances of suicidal ideation 2.6 times.

Conclusion:

the high prevalence of suicidal ideation and its associated factors constitutes a situational diagnosis that demands the elaboration of public and institutional policies, focused on the promotion and attention to the mental health of the students.

Descriptors:
Suicide; Suicide Attempt; Suicidal Ideation; Students; Education Higher

Variables	Yes		No		PR (CI-95%)	p value^* PR: prevalence ratio; * p value: Poisson's regression model; su: stable union.
Variables	n	(%)	n	(%)	PR (CI-95%)
Sex						<0.001
Female	59	28.10	151	71.90	1.70(1.15 - 2.53)
Male	06	16.22	31	83.78	-
Skin color						0.179
White	34	23.45	111	76.55	-
Brown	19	27.14	51	72.86	0.61 (0.380.99)
Black	11	39.29	17	60.71	0.67(03.4 - 1.32)
Yellow	1	25.00	3	75.00	0.67(1.21 - 3.73)
Age group						0.712
Up to 20 years old	17	30.91	38	69.09	0.97(0.62 - 1.54)
21-30 years old	51	30.18	118	69.82	1.18(0.49 - 2.83)
31-40 years old	4	36.36	7	63.64	1.62(0.81 - 3.23)
>41 years old	6	50.00	6	50.00
Sexual orientation						0.251
Heterosexual	42	21.99	149	78.01	-
Homosexual	23	41.07	33	58.93
Marital status					-	<0.001
Single	59	27.19	158	72.81	1.42(0.88 - 2.31)
Married/su	5	20.00	20	80.00	5.35(2.17 - 1.32)
Divorced	1	20.00	4	80.00		0.179
Student financial aid
Yes	28	34.15	54	65.85	0.74(0.48 - 1.13)
No	37	22.42	128	77.58	-	0.532
Origin of the income of the student
The student lives on their own income	6	28.57	15	71.43	-
The student receives support from others	45	24.46	139	75.54	0.99(0.52 - 1.89)
The student helps supporting their home, but receives support from others	14	33.33	28	66.67	0.71(0.32 - 1.61)
Mean monthly income						0.041
Up to 1 MW	7	28.00	18	72.00	-
1-3 MW	29	24.17	91	75.83	0.75(0.39 - 1.45)
>3 MW	41	40.20	61	59.80	1.25(0.67 - 2.33)
Housing						0.596
Lives alone	1	11.11	8	88.89	-
Has roommates	10	27.78	26	72.22	0.62(0.25 - 1.54)
Relatives in general/others	64	31.68	138	68.32	0.71(0.33 - 1.52)
Religion						0.428
Catholic	22	24.44	68	75.56	-
Protestant	6	13.95	37	86.05	0.91(0.54 - 1.53)
Others	13	29.55	31	70.45	0.57(0.30 - 1.10)
Does not have a religion	24	34.29	46	65.71	0.92(0.60 - 1.42)
Course						0.441
Nursing	23	20.72	88	79.28	-
Nutrition	16	35.56	29	64.44	0.68(0.37 - 1.26)
Health service management	11	34.38	21	65.63	0.96(05.541.72)
Medicine	9	29.03	22	70.97	1.40(0.87 - 2.48)
Radiology	3	30.00	7	70.00	0.92(0.34 - 2.48)
Speech-language therapy	3	16.67	15	83.33	0.86(0.39 - 1.90)
Period					-	0.141
1st to 6th	43	25.44	126	74.56	1.32(0.91 - 1.90)
7th to 11th	22	28.21	56	71.79

Variables	Yes		No		PR (CI-95%)	p value^* PR: prevalence ratio; * p-value: Poisson's regression model.
Variables	n	(%)	n	(%)	PR (CI-95%)
Suicide attempt in the family/friends						0.051
Yes	46	29.11	112	70.89	0.69(0.48 - 0.99)
No	19	21.35	70	78.65	0.69(0.48 - 0.99)
Suicide in the family/friends						0.613
Yes	21	27.27	56	72.73	0.91(0.75 - 1.01)
No	44	25.88	126	74.12	0.91(0.75 - 1.01)

Variables	Yes		No		PR (CI-95%)	p value^* PR: prevalence ratio; * p-value: Poisson's regression model.
Variables	n	(%)	n	(%)	PR (CI-95%)
Major Depression Inventory						<0.001
Present	59	36.65	102	63.35	0.47(0.36 - 0.61)
Absent	6	6.98	80	93.02	-
Suicide attempt
Yes	20	55.56	16	44.44	0.15(0.04 - 0.06)	0.018
No	45	21.33	166	78.67	-
Self-mutilation
Yes	43	38.39	69	61.61	0.24(0.14 - 0.41)	<0.001
No	22	16.30	113	83.70	-
ASSIST^ ASSIST: Screening test for involvement with alcohol, tobacco and other substances.						0.173
Occasional use	22	17.46	104	82.54	-
Abusive use	30	31.91	64	68.09	0.93(0.63 - 1.37)
Suspected dependence	13	48.15	14	51.85	0.54(0.24 - 1.24)

Variables	PR (CI-95%)	p value^* PR: prevalence ratio; * p-value: Poisson's regression model.
Major Depression		<0.001
Present	2.60 (1.70 - 3.97)
Absent	-

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[1] Corresponding author: Girliani Silva de Sousa E-mail: girlianis@gmail.com