Suicide ideation, attempt, and determinants among medical students Northwest Ethiopia: an institution-based cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: Suicide ideation and attempt are more highly prevalent among medical students compared to the general population. Suicidal thought negatively impacts the quality of life, physical, and mental well-being of the students. However, research into suicide ideation and attempt among medical students in low- and middle-income countries is limited. Therefore, this study aimed to explore suicide ideation and attempt and their determinants among medical students in Ethiopia have a crucial role for further intervention. METHODS: An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted on 393 medical students from March to June 2019 at the University of Gondar (UoG) in Ethiopia. Simple random sampling technique was used to select study participants. Suicide ideation and attempt were assessed using the World Health Organization Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) to assess lifetime suicide ideation and attempts during medical school. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Binary logistic regression analyses were used to identify factors associated with suicide ideation and attempt. An odds ratio (OR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was computed to assess the strength of the association. RESULTS: A total of 393 participants took part with a response rate of 92.9%. The prevalence of suicide ideation and attempt among study participants was found to be 14% and 7.4%, respectively, with 95% CI (10.9–18.1) and (5.1–10.2). Being female (AOR: 5.21, 95% CI 3.42–7.20), co-morbid depression symptoms (AOR: 10.12, 95% CI 6.80–15.52), current khat chewing (AOR: 4.46, 95% CI 3.32–10.02), and poor social support (AOR: 4.46, 95% CI 3.43–9.87) were factors significantly associated with suicide ideation; whereas, female sex (AOR: 8.08, 95% CI 6.04–12.39), depression (AOR: 10.66, 95% CI 8.01–19.01) and history of mental illness (AOR: 5.53, 95% CI 5.20–15.50) were factors significantly associated with suicide attempt. CONCLUSIONS: In the current study, the prevalence of suicide ideation among medical students was low compared to other studies, but the suicide attempt was high. Ministry of Health should develop a guideline on how to screen and manage suicide ideation and attempt among medical students.