Assessment of Suicidal Tendencies among Students in Peshawar: A Cross Sectional Study.

Abstract

Background: Suicidal tendencies means “thoughts about or a strange obsession” with suicide. The suicidal thought varies greatly from occasional thinking, permanent tendencies about suicide to comprehensive planning, role playing and incomplete attempts, or fully prepared attempt to result in death.
Objective: To assess the suicidal tendencies using Beck Depression Inventory among students in Peshawar.
Material & Methods: This study was conducted in two Medical colleges and two non-medical institutions of Peshawar. This was a cross sectional study, non-probability convenient sampling technique was utilized. Study duration was from December 2016 to April 2017. Students below 18 years and above 29 years, unwilling and on sick leave were excluded from the study. The suicidal ideation was assessed through validated standardized Beck depression inventory.
Results: Out of the total, n=421 students completed the survey, which included 216 (51%) medical students and 205(48%) nonmedical students. There were 250 (59.2%) male and 171 (40.5%) female students in the study. N=343 (82%) showed no suicidal tendencies while n=44 (10.4%) showed mild suicidal tendencies, n=25 (5.9%) showed moderate suicidal tendencies and n=10 (2.4%) showed severe suicidal tendencies in the sample population. There was no significant difference between gender, socioeconomic status and medical and non-medical students.
Conclusion: Suicidal tendencies were observed among male gender and non-medical students more as compared to female
gender and medical students respectively.