Prevalence of suicidal tendencies among the students at the University of Peshawar, Pakistan

Abstract

Suicide is a serious social and mental health problem; considering the recent hike in the country’s young population, it is essential to study the influential factors of suicide. This study is designed to identify the prevalence of suicide tendencies among students at the University of Peshawar. Students from various disciplines, such as psychology, statistics, computer science, English, pharmacy, journalism, international relations, and management sciences, among others, were submitted on the self-reported suicidal ideation scale (SIQUE). There was a higher prevalence rate of 30% of students having suicidal ideation among 844 students, in which the female predominance rate was higher than males. Furthermore, the married and ailing students also showed significant patterns of suicidal ideation on the SIQUE scale. The results also showed that among the students at the University of Peshawar, drug addicts had statistically higher average suicidal ideation. Those with mental disorders, physical disorders, death of loved ones, history of suicide, and weakness in religious beliefs increase the relative rates of suicidal ideation and propensity among students. Students who are married and suffer from mental disorders or other emotional or physical problems have a soaring inclination to suicide among the University of Peshawar students aged 19-30.