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. 2020 Dec:119:105703.
doi: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2020.105703. Epub 2020 Nov 10.

Suicidal ideation among Bangladeshi university students early during the COVID-19 pandemic: Prevalence estimates and correlates

Rafia Tasnim  1   2 , Md Saiful Islam  1   2 , Md Safaet Hossain Sujan  1   2 , Md Tajuddin Sikder  1 , Marc N Potenza  3   4   5   6
Affiliations

Suicidal ideation among Bangladeshi university students early during the COVID-19 pandemic: Prevalence estimates and correlates

Rafia Tasnim et al. Child Youth Serv Rev. 2020 Dec.

Abstract

Lockdown, social isolation, and interruption of daily life during the COVID-19 period have impacted many lives. University students are particularly vulnerable to such disruptions and may be particularly disposed to suicidal ideation, potentially creating a new public health crisis. This study aimed to assess suicidal ideation and associated factors among university students in Bangladesh during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted using the Google form (Google survey tool) from April to May 2020. Initially, 3366 respondents voluntarily completed the survey form. Finally, 3331 surveys were included in the final analyses after removing incomplete surveys. The data ware reviewed, rechecked, and analyzed with SPSS (25.0 version) software. A total of 1979 (59.4%) males and 1352 (40.6%) females participated. Respondents were between the ages of 18 to 28 years (mean age 21.4 years [SD = 1.9]). The prevalence estimate of suicidal ideation was 12.8%. Potential risk factors included less sleep, excess sleep, cigarette smoking, past suicidal thoughts, suicide attempt history, family history of suicidality, depression, anxiety, and stress. Potential protective factors included being male, having lower SES, living in rural areas, regular physical exercise, and satisfactory study. Suicidal ideation was prevalent among Bangladeshi university students during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Understanding the correlates of suicidal ideation may aid to develop targeted strategies to support students during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Keywords: Anxiety; Depression; Stress; Suicidal attempt; Suicidal thoughts.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest with respect to the content of this manuscript. Dr. Potenza has: consulted for and advised Game Day Data, the Addiction Policy Forum, AXA, Idorsia, and Opiant/Lakelight Therapeutics; received research support from the Veteran’s Administration, Mohegan Sun Casino, and the National Center for Responsible Gaming (no the International Center for Responsible Gambling); participated in surveys, mailings, or telephone consultations related to drug addiction, impulse-control disorders or other health topics; consulted for law offices and the federal public defender’s office in issues related to impulse-control and addictive disorders; provided clinical care in the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services Problem Gambling Services Program; performed grant reviews for the National Institutes of Health and other agencies; edited journals and journal sections; given academic lectures in grand rounds, CME events and other clinical/scientific venues; and generated books or chapters for publishers of mental health texts. Other authors report no disclosures. The views presented in this manuscript represent those of the authors.

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