Rural/urban Background, Depression and Suicidal Ideation in Chinese College Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

ObjectivesThe objective of this study was to examine, first, the relationship of having a rural vs. urban background with suicidal ideation in Chinese college students, and second, whether a potential relationship was mediated by depression.MethodsA survey was conducted among 1,145 undergraduate students at a university in China. Suicidal ideation and depressive symptoms were measured by the revised Hopkins’ Symptom checklist (SCL-90-R). Associations between rural vs. urban background, depression and suicidal ideation were estimated by multivariable linear regression-based β coefficients, logistic regression-based odds ratios (ORs), and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The magnitude of indirect effect and bias-corrected 95% CIs were obtained through bootstrap techniques.ResultsRural background was positively associated with depression, which was in turn associated with suicidal ideation. The OR for rural status and suicidal ideation equaled 2.15 (95% CI = 1.36–3.41). This OR was slightly, though significantly (p<0.05) attenuated by additional adjustment for depressive symptoms (OR = 1.99, 95% CI = 1.15–3.44).ConclusionHaving a rural background is a determinant of suicidal ideation in Chinese college students. Depression may only marginally mediate this association.

Suicidality among Chinese college students: A cross-sectional study across seven provinces

“…Undergraduates with an urban household registration reported higher suicidality compared to those with a rural household registration. This is in contrast with an earlier study which indicated no difference in the suicidality levels between rural and urban Chinese college students [42], or higher levels of suicidality among rural Chinese college students [10]. The findings may reflect the narrowing of rural:urban ratios in suicide rate, which has traditionally been higher among the rural Chinese [43].…”

“…There is a collective body of evidence on the identification of risk and protective factors for suicide, which includes factors such as life stress and coping style [8], personality factors of impulsivity and aggression [9], and depression [9][10][11][12]. In addition, adverse developmental influences or events such as childhood adversity, divorce of parents, loss of a parent, and sexual abuse are also risk factors for increased suicidality [9][10][11][12]. Among Chinese college students, factors that have been found to influence suicidality are academic performance, academic stress, occupational future, recent conflicts with classmates, satisfaction with major, and the rupture of romantic relationships [12,13].…”

Prevalence & factors associated with depression among schoolgoing adolescents in Chandigarh, north India

“…The present study showed that depression was more prevalent among students from rural area. This finding was similar to a previous study conducted in China, among college students 28 . The positive association between rural background and depression may be due to the fact that students from rural areas are more likely to have had poor family environments and considered as having a lower social status 28 .…”

“…Questionnaire on factors associated with depression : The information on the risk and protective factors for depression was obtained using a structured pretested questionnaire. This risk and protective factors questionnaire was specifically designed for this study, based on the literature review 5 6 7 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 . Opinion of the experts was obtained to increase its face validity and repeatability was tested by confirming test-retest hypothesis.…”

Ideación suicida en adolescentes del área rural: estilo de crianza y bienestar psicológico

“…Sin embargo, estas cifras son considerablemente mayores que las señaladas en investigaciones realizadas en adolescentes de regiones urbanas; en Tailandia la ideación suicida es del 8,8 % (36), y en Francia, del 16 % (4). Al respecto, hay resultados diversos: mientras algunos hallazgos no muestran una asociación significativa de la ideación suicida con la residencia urbana o rural de los adolescentes (37), otros señalan que los del área rural exhiben mayor prevalencia que sus pares del área urbana, con diferencias significativas (38).…”