Epidemiology of non-fatal suicidal behavior among first-year university students in South Africa

Death Stud. 2022;46(4):816-823. doi: 10.1080/07481187.2019.1701143. Epub 2019 Dec 17.

Abstract

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed on the publisher's website.We used a cross-sectional web-based survey and discrete-time survival analysis with person-year as unit of analysis and retrospective age-of-onset reports to estimate prevalence and predictors of suicidal ideation, plan, and attempt, and transitions from ideation to plan and attempt among South African university students (n = 1402). The lifetime prevalence of ideation, plan, and attempt were 46.4% (n = 650), 26.5% (n = 372), and 8.6% (n = 120), respectively. Multiple temporally primary mental disorders predicted subsequent onset of suicidality and transitions from ideation to plan and attempt. Results highlight the need for campus-based suicide prevention in South Africa, vulnerability of historically disadvantaged students, and the importance of promoting mental health in suicide prevention.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Humans
  • Prevalence
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Risk Factors
  • South Africa / epidemiology
  • Students / psychology
  • Suicidal Ideation*
  • Suicide, Attempted* / psychology
  • Universities