Risk factors of suicide among public university students of Bangladesh: A qualitative exploration

Introduction: Suicidal deaths among the students have increased worldwide where Bangladesh is not an exception and the reasons are not well documented. Objective: Revealing the common risk factors of suicide among the public university students of Bangladesh was the aim of this study. Methods: This study utilized a qualitative research design and data was collected from five public universities of Bangladesh where suicidal death found prevailing. Guidelines containing open ended questions were used to conduct in-depth interviews and key informant interviews among thirty public university students and five university professionals respectively. Both purposive and snowball sampling was used to select respondents. Data of this study was analyzed thematically. Results: Findings of this study suggest most of the public university students, committed suicide shows a history of depression, hopelessness, perfectionism, family conflicts, relationship break-up, lack of social support, financial crisis, and academic stress before their attempts. Conclusion: Arranging seminars, workshops, and awareness-raising campaigns are urgently needed to change suicidal behavior among the public university students of Bangladesh. A strong support system should be built with suggestions from mental health professionals, policymakers, researchers, and academicians to ensure good psychological well-being among the students.

Automated summary

The aim of this study was to reveal the common risk factors of suicide among public university students in Bangladesh. The results showed that most of the students who committed suicide had a history of depression, hopelessness, perfectionism, family conflicts, and relationship break-ups. It is therefore necessary to organize seminars, workshops, and awareness-raising campaigns to change their suicidal behavior and establish a strong support system.