University for Development Studies, School of Public Health, Department of Global and International Health, Tamale, Ghana.
University for Development Studies, School of Public Health, Department of Social and Behavioural Change, Tamale, Ghana.
BMC Psychiatry. 2024 Oct 14;24(1):681. doi: 10.1186/s12888-024-06155-7.
Suicide and its associated risk factors are of public health importance across the globe. The affected persons are mostly the youth. Empirical research in this crucial area of public health is generally lacking, especially among undergraduate university students in Ghana. This study sought to determine the prevalence of suicide ideation, and its associated risk factors that statistically predict suicide ideation among undergraduate students.
A descriptive cross-sectional quantitative survey was conducted. A structured online questionnaire was used to elicit information on the prevalence of suicide ideation and its correlates. A systematic sampling technique was used to sample 400 respondents. Of this number, 53.25% were male and 46.75% were female. Data were analyzed using SPSS v26. Results were presented in charts, tables, and cross-tabulations. A regression analysis was also done to model suicide ideation with socio-demographic variables.
The prevalence of suicide ideation among participants was 24.5%. Significant risk factors for suicide ideation found in the study were academic stress and victimization. Suicide ideation was predicted with statistical significance by the presence of victimization (OR = 3), and academic stress (OR = 2).
The prevalence of suicide ideation among participants is real and will need combined efforts of university management and, the counseling unit to put in place interventions that will help avert suicide ideation and its dreaded squeal of completed suicide.
自杀及其相关危险因素在全球范围内都具有公共卫生意义。受影响的人大多是年轻人。在这个公共卫生的关键领域，实证研究通常很缺乏，尤其是在加纳的大学生中。本研究旨在确定自杀意念的流行率，以及其相关的风险因素，这些因素可以从统计学上预测大学生的自杀意念。
采用描述性横断面定量调查。使用结构化的在线问卷来收集关于自杀意念及其相关因素的信息。采用系统抽样技术抽取 400 名受访者。其中，53.25%是男性，46.75%是女性。使用 SPSS v26 进行数据分析。结果以图表、表格和交叉表呈现。还进行了回归分析，用社会人口统计学变量来模拟自杀意念。
参与者中自杀意念的流行率为 24.5%。研究中发现的自杀意念的显著风险因素是学业压力和受害。受害（OR=3）和学业压力（OR=2）的存在对自杀意念具有统计学上的显著预测作用。
参与者中自杀意念的流行率是真实存在的，需要大学管理层和咨询部门共同努力，实施干预措施，以帮助避免自杀意念及其可怕的自杀完成的后果。
