Early detection of the profile with suicidal tendencies in university students of the medical school of the Universidad Popular Autónoma del Estado de Puebla associated to risk factors.

Abstract

Introduction: Suicide is a multicausal phenomenon and constitutes a worldwide public health problem. In the medical students´ population, it constitutes the second most common cause of death followed by accidents and is due to great loads of stress, depressión, etc. Objective: To determine the prevalence of suicidal behavior in medical students between 18 and 24 years of the Universidad Popular Autónoma del Estado de Puebla linked to risk factors. Material and Methodology: An observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study with a quantitative approach was conducted in a non-probabilistic sample obtained by a quota of medical students. The questionnaire was self-administered, answered voluntarily and confidentially via email by the students. It included the following psychometric instruments: family Apgar, CAGE scale, Beck questionnaire (BDI-II). and Plutchik. Descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation, and t-test (p <0,05) were applied. The instruments were interpreted according to the scores of the questionnaires, in addition to the demographic variables. Results: From a total of 350 students, 72,3% (n = 253) were women and 27,7% (n = 97) men. The mean age was 20,137 years (SD 1,60355) and the suicide prevalence was 22,9%. The students´ t-test showed that suicide risk, and depression have a higher incidence in women. Pearson’s correlation (p<0,05) between Plutchik-BDI-II scores was, r=0,802; between Plutchik- Apgar, r=-0,558 and finally between Beck (BDI-II)-Apgar, r=0,573. According to the Plutchik questionnaire, 24,57% of the sample have thought about committing suicide and 5,14% have tried it. Conclusions: Suicidal behavior is frequent in medical students.