Assessment of Suicidal Ideation and Its Association with Mental Health Disorders Among Medical Sciences Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Depression, anxiety, and stress are prevalent among medical sciences students globally and contribute to suicidal ideation. Many risk factors are associated with the mental health problems of medical sciences students. Objectives: This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of depression, anxiety, stress, and suicidal ideation, as well as their associated factors, among medical, dental, and pharmacy students in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we included 292 students. We collected background information and data on socioeconomic status (SES). We used the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales-21 (DASS-21) and the Beck Scale for suicidal ideation (BSSI) to assess depression, anxiety, stress, and suicidal ideation. The data were analyzed using a linear regression model. Results: The prevalence of medium to high-risk suicidal thoughts among all students was 56.8%, with 6.5% of students reporting high-risk suicidal thoughts. The prevalence of mild to extremely severe depression, anxiety, and stress was 66.8%, 59.5%, and 52.1%, respectively. Factors significantly associated with the severity of suicidal thoughts included being single (β = -2.11), having a positive history of psychiatric illness (β = 2.64), having a positive history of chronic medical conditions (β = 4.23), and higher scores of depression (β = 1.97) and anxiety (β = 0.49). Additionally, a higher academic semester and greater interest in courses were significantly associated with lower scores of depression, anxiety, and stress. Conclusions: The findings of this study revealed a higher rate of depression, anxiety, stress, and suicidal ideation among medical sciences students compared to the global prevalence. This underscores the urgent need for targeted interventions to improve students’ mental health. More specifically, recognizing the risk factors for suicidality and promoting access to counseling services and mental health awareness programs can help prevent suicidal thoughts.