One in Fourteen: Screening University Students for Suicidal Ideation across Three Universities in Peshawar

Abstract

University students are often assumed to be at low risk, yet little is known about how many have suicidal thoughts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. This study screened students at three public universities in Peshawar to estimate how many screened positive for suicidal ideation, how severe their ideation was, and how this varied by university. Using convenience sampling, 5,950 students from departments across the universities were approached and screened with the Modified Scale for Suicidal Ideation. In all, 424 (7.1%, 95% CI [6.5, 7.8]) screened positive. The rate differed by university, from 6.3% to 9.4%, χ²(2) = 13.58, p = .001, although the difference was small (Cramér’s V = .05). Among the 384 positive students retained for analysis, 56.8% had severe ideation and 56.0% had made at least one earlier attempt. Earlier attempts (r = .43) and a family history of psychological disorder (r = .29) were associated with more severe ideation, and men scored higher than women (d = 0.35). The figures describe a convenience sample and are screening rates, not population prevalence. Even so, about one in fourteen students screened positive, and more than half of these students had already attempted. Universities in Peshawar may need routine screening, trained counsellors and clear referral routes.