title: Suicidal ideation among medical students of Pakistan: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: Few studies have investigated suicidal ideation among medical students in the developing world. We found only one report on suicidal ideation among medical students in Pakistan published in the year 2005. The present cross-sectional survey on suicidal ideation conducted in July 2013 involved 331 medical students of Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan. In the past one year, suicidal ideation was found in 118 (35.6%) students. Forty-six (13.9%) of all the students had made a plan in their life time to commit suicide while 16 (4.8%) of the 331 students tried to commit suicide at some point of time in their life. More females than males pondered suicide while first year medical students formed the majority of those with suicidal ideation. The single greatest risk factor predisposing to suicidal ideation was substance abuse. This was followed jointly by parental neglect and previous psychiatric disorder. Campaigns against substance abuse and counseling of vulnerable students will help in eradicating suicidal intent.
authors.affiliation: Dow Medical College, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Osama
authors.affiliation: Dow Medical College, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Mohammad Yousuful
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Islam
authors.affiliation: Dow Medical College, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Syed Ather
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Hussain
authors.affiliation: Dow Medical College, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Syed Muhammad Zia
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Masroor
authors.affiliation: Dow Medical College, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Muhammad Usman
authors.initials: MU
authors.lastname: Burney
authors.affiliation: Dow Medical College, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Muhammad Atif
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Masood
authors.affiliation: Forensic Medicine Division, Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, King Fahd Hospital of the University, University of Dammam, Dammam, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: mangalore971@yahoo.co.in.
authors.forename: Ritesh G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Menezes
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Civil Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Razaur
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rehman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D054523:Adult Survivors of Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Medical students; Pakistan; Risk factors; Suicidal ideation; Suicide; Suicide intent