Association Between Hopelessness And Suicidal Ideation In Iranian Medical Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

There are limited studies regarding suicidal ideation among Iranian medical students. We aimed to evaluate the prevalence of suicidal ideation and its association with hopelessness among Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS) medical students.

We designed a cross-sectional study conducted in TUMS in 2018. We developed a questionnaire consisting of three parts; the Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS), four questions regarding suicidal ideation, and questions regarding demographic characteristics. We used the available sampling technique and sent the questionnaire to 517 medical students of TUMS.

In total, 224 medical students completed and sent back the questionnaire (response rate=43.32%). Participants' mean age was 22.68 (SD=3.38) years, and 140 participants (62.5%) were female. One hundred seven students (47.76%) had mild, 58 (25.89%) had moderate, and 13 (5.8%) had severe hopelessness. Males, senior students, and dissatisfied students with their academic performance experienced more severe hopelessness (P<0.05). Thirty-six participants (16.07%) had suicidal ideation. After adjusting for age, gender, marital status, and student's satisfaction with their academic performance, BHS total score was independently associated with suicidal ideation (OR=1.29, 95% CI=1.14-1.46, P<0.0001).

The prevalence of suicidal ideation and hopelessness is relatively high among Iranian medical students. Students with more severe hopelessness are at higher risk of suicidal ideation, and evaluating hopelessness among medical students can be used to screen medical students at risk of suicidal ideation.