Prevalence and factors associated with suicidal ideation among students taking university entrance tests: revisited and a study based on Geographic Information System data
Background A previous study identified students taking Bangladeshi university entrance tests as a vulnerable group at a higher risk of suicidal behaviours before the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the impact of the pandemic on the magnitude of these behaviours among this population remains unexplored....
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2023-07-01
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| Series: | BJPsych Open |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2056472423005264/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1797777800461025280 |
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| author | Rifat Nahrin Firoj Al-Mamun Mark Mohan Kaggwa Md. Al Mamun Mohammed A. Mamun |
| author_facet | Rifat Nahrin Firoj Al-Mamun Mark Mohan Kaggwa Md. Al Mamun Mohammed A. Mamun |
| author_sort | Rifat Nahrin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background
A previous study identified students taking Bangladeshi university entrance tests as a vulnerable group at a higher risk of suicidal behaviours before the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the impact of the pandemic on the magnitude of these behaviours among this population remains unexplored.
Aims
This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of suicidal ideation and associated factors among Bangladeshi university entrance test takers following the pandemic. In addition, an approach based on Geographic Information System (GIS) data was used to visualise the distribution of suicidal ideation across the country.
Methods
A cross-sectional approach was used to collect data among participants taking the entrance test at Jahangirnagar University in September 2022. Using SPSS, data were analysed with chi-squared tests and binary regression, and ArcGIS was used to map the results across the nation.
Results
The study revealed a prevalence of 14.4% for past-year suicidal ideation, with 7.4% and 7.2% reporting suicide plans and attempts, respectively. Notably, repeat test-takers exhibited a higher prevalence of suicidal behaviours. Significant risk factors for suicidal ideation included urban residence, smoking, drug use, COVID-19 infection and deaths among close relations, depression, anxiety and burnout. The GIS-based distribution indicated significant variation in the prevalence of suicidal ideation across different districts, with higher rates observed in economically and infrastructurally deprived areas.
Conclusions
Urgent measures are needed to address the high prevalence of suicidal behaviours among students taking university entrance tests students in Bangladesh, particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Enhanced mental health support, targeted prevention efforts and improved resources in economically disadvantaged regions are crucial to safeguard the well-being of these students.
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| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T23:08:45Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8b823802b926406795ccd2267b3dae12 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2056-4724 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T23:08:45Z |
| publishDate | 2023-07-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BJPsych Open |
| spelling | doaj.art-8b823802b926406795ccd2267b3dae122023-07-18T09:18:40ZengCambridge University PressBJPsych Open2056-47242023-07-01910.1192/bjo.2023.526Prevalence and factors associated with suicidal ideation among students taking university entrance tests: revisited and a study based on Geographic Information System dataRifat Nahrin0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5498-2482Firoj Al-Mamun1https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4611-9624Mark Mohan Kaggwa2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4733-154XMd. Al Mamun3https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0330-9241Mohammed A. Mamun4https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1728-8966Department of Economics, Comilla University, Cumilla, BangladeshCHINTA Research Bangladesh, Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh; Department of Public Health and Informatics, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh; and Department of Public Health, University of South Asia, Dhaka, BangladeshDepartment of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda; and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, CanadaDepartment of Public Health and Informatics, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka, BangladeshCHINTA Research Bangladesh, Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh; and Department of Public Health and Informatics, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka, BangladeshBackground A previous study identified students taking Bangladeshi university entrance tests as a vulnerable group at a higher risk of suicidal behaviours before the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the impact of the pandemic on the magnitude of these behaviours among this population remains unexplored. Aims This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of suicidal ideation and associated factors among Bangladeshi university entrance test takers following the pandemic. In addition, an approach based on Geographic Information System (GIS) data was used to visualise the distribution of suicidal ideation across the country. Methods A cross-sectional approach was used to collect data among participants taking the entrance test at Jahangirnagar University in September 2022. Using SPSS, data were analysed with chi-squared tests and binary regression, and ArcGIS was used to map the results across the nation. Results The study revealed a prevalence of 14.4% for past-year suicidal ideation, with 7.4% and 7.2% reporting suicide plans and attempts, respectively. Notably, repeat test-takers exhibited a higher prevalence of suicidal behaviours. Significant risk factors for suicidal ideation included urban residence, smoking, drug use, COVID-19 infection and deaths among close relations, depression, anxiety and burnout. The GIS-based distribution indicated significant variation in the prevalence of suicidal ideation across different districts, with higher rates observed in economically and infrastructurally deprived areas. Conclusions Urgent measures are needed to address the high prevalence of suicidal behaviours among students taking university entrance tests students in Bangladesh, particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Enhanced mental health support, targeted prevention efforts and improved resources in economically disadvantaged regions are crucial to safeguard the well-being of these students. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2056472423005264/type/journal_articleSuicidal behavioursuicidedepressionsuicidal ideationuniversity student |
| spellingShingle | Rifat Nahrin Firoj Al-Mamun Mark Mohan Kaggwa Md. Al Mamun Mohammed A. Mamun Prevalence and factors associated with suicidal ideation among students taking university entrance tests: revisited and a study based on Geographic Information System data BJPsych Open Suicidal behaviour suicide depression suicidal ideation university student |
| title | Prevalence and factors associated with suicidal ideation among students taking university entrance tests: revisited and a study based on Geographic Information System data |
| title_full | Prevalence and factors associated with suicidal ideation among students taking university entrance tests: revisited and a study based on Geographic Information System data |
| title_fullStr | Prevalence and factors associated with suicidal ideation among students taking university entrance tests: revisited and a study based on Geographic Information System data |
| title_full_unstemmed | Prevalence and factors associated with suicidal ideation among students taking university entrance tests: revisited and a study based on Geographic Information System data |
| title_short | Prevalence and factors associated with suicidal ideation among students taking university entrance tests: revisited and a study based on Geographic Information System data |
| title_sort | prevalence and factors associated with suicidal ideation among students taking university entrance tests revisited and a study based on geographic information system data |
| topic | Suicidal behaviour suicide depression suicidal ideation university student |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2056472423005264/type/journal_article |
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