International Journal of Africa Nursing Sciences最新文献

{"title":"“…we suffer the trauma, yet we soldier on” midwives’ narrations of the effects of maternal deaths on their lives","authors":"Judith Bentil ,&nbsp;Vida Ocloo ,&nbsp;Gideon Awenabisa Atanuriba ,&nbsp;Comfort Baaba De Graft","doi":"10.1016/j.ijans.2025.100826","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijans.2025.100826","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Purpose</h3><div>Maternal deaths continue to remain unacceptably high in many resourced-constrained countries. There is a proliferation of literature about the effects of these deaths on families, communities, and nations but less on the impact of maternal deaths on midwives who directly attend to the women. Our current study seeks to explore the impact of MM on the well-being, practices and profession development of midwives in Ghana.</div><div>To explore and describe the effects of maternal deaths on midwives.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A descriptive qualitative study among midwives who have encountered maternal mortality (ies) and were audited from a referral hospital in the Bono region of Ghana. The sample size was determined by data saturation at the 12th interviewed participant using a semi-structured interview guide based on themes from earlier unstructured piloted interviews and published literature on the phenomenon. Thematic analysis was conducted. We achieved rigor through data collection and analytical triangulation, peer debriefs, and prolonged engagement with participants for validation of their descriptions.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Three themes were constructed, these were physical effects, psychological trauma, and professional distress.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Maternal deaths and the audit process affect midwives’ heath thus physically, psychologically, and professionally. System strengthening to provide support to midwives who encounter maternal deaths is highly suggested.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38091,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Africa Nursing Sciences","volume":"22 ","pages":"Article 100826"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143420252","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Practice and associated factors of nurses’ towards patients’ oral care in South Gondar Zone hospitals, Amhara Region, Northwest Ethiopia","authors":"Yeshiambaw Eshetie ,&nbsp;YohannesTesfahun Kassie ,&nbsp;Demewoz Kefale","doi":"10.1016/j.ijans.2025.100817","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijans.2025.100817","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Oral care is a fundamental nursing procedure that has a good impact on a patient’s overall health. Ineffective patients’ oral care has big oral health consequences like oral diseases, difficulty of chewing and swallowing for fluid and diet intakes in general. Although oral health diseases can result in physical, functional, social, emotional, and mental health of the patient, it is given little attention.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>The study aims to assess nurses’ patient oral care practice level and its associated factors in South Gondar Zone hospitals, Ethiopia, 2024.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Institution-based cross-sectional study design was used to assess 330 nurses, chosen through convenience sampling technique. Data were collected by using adapted, structured and self-administered questionnaires. The effect of independent variables on the outcome variables was explored by using logistic regression analyses. The levels of significance were determined using an odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Of the total 330 study participants, 310 participated with a response rate of 93.9 %. Among the participants, 52.9 % (95 %CI; 47–58) had a good patient oral care practice level. Based on the multivariate analysis, took training (AOR = 1.74; 95 %CI: 1.09, 2.77; p = 0.02) and being female Nurses (AOR = 1.88; 95 %CI: 1.18, 3.00; p = 0.01) were significantly associated with oral care practice of nurses.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>The finding of this study showed that oral care practice level of nurses was poor. Took training and sex of participants were statistically significant with the nurses’ practice level towards patients’ oral care.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38091,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Africa Nursing Sciences","volume":"22 ","pages":"Article 100817"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143178473","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Campus closures and students’ mental health in Lebanon and Sharjah: A comparative cross-sectional study","authors":"Michael Clinton ,&nbsp;Jacqueline Maria Dias ,&nbsp;Myrna A. Doumit ,&nbsp;Mohamad Alameddine ,&nbsp;Murielle Mardi ,&nbsp;Karen Bou- Karroum","doi":"10.1016/j.ijans.2025.100844","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijans.2025.100844","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Since October 2019, Lebanon has been immersed in political paralysis and economic crisis. Rising inflation and financial distress have added to the stressors on university students. Sharjah is a wealthy and politically stable state in the United Arab Emirates. Investigators have researched the impact of COVID-19 on university students but have yet to compare campus closure effects on students in crisis-torn and high-income countries. Accordingly, the study aimed to compare students’ perceptions of online learning, prevalence rates for anxiety, depression, and burnout, and life satisfaction, resilience, and engagement scores following campus closures in Lebanon and Sharjah.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>The electronic anonymous survey was conducted from November 2021 to July 2022. The 370 participants were 232 undergraduates, 37 nursing students in Lebanon, and 101 nursing students in Sharjah. The students in Descriptive statistics, ANOVA, the Mann-Whitney U, and Hotelling T-tests were used. Parametric test results were interpreted for non-equal sample sizes.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>All the non-nursing students in Lebanon and 87.1 % of the nursing students in Sharjah screened positive for anxiety. Students in Sharjah had a higher prevalence of depression than undergraduates and nursing students in Lebanon (92.7 % versus 90.5 % and 87.4 %). Undergraduates had a higher prevalence of high burnout than nursing students in Lebanon and Sharjah (83.2 % versus 54.1 % and 53.5 %). The effect sizes for differences between students’ mean scores in Lebanon and Sharjah were life satisfaction η2 = 0.13, anxiety = η2 = 0.09, and high burnout 2 = 0.06. There were no statistically significant location effects for depression, engagement, or resilience. Students in Lebanon were more concerned about online learning than students in Sharjah (p = 0&lt;.001). Final-year students in Lebanon were more concerned about their post-graduation prospects than others (p &lt; 0.05).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The prevalence rates for anxiety, depression, and high burnout in Lebanon and Sharjah indicate the need for whole-of-institution strategies to build healthy campus cultures. Students who screen positive for anxiety, depression, or high burnout require professional mental health assessment and access to evidence-based interventions. Online resources are available to supplement institutional resources, promote best practices, and encourage continuous innovation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38091,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Africa Nursing Sciences","volume":"22 ","pages":"Article 100844"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143714649","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Validity of maternal self-reported antibiotic consumption in children: A population-based study","authors":"Javad Nazari ,&nbsp;Nahid Chezani-Sharahi ,&nbsp;Yeganeh Karimi ,&nbsp;Mobin Naghshbandi ,&nbsp;Rahmatollah Moradzadeh","doi":"10.1016/j.ijans.2025.100853","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijans.2025.100853","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Validity of the self-reported data is very important. The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the accuracy of maternal self-reported antibiotic use in children aged 0–6 years in Iran by comparing it with prescription data from insurance records.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A total of 1483 children aged between 0 and 6 years were recruited in this study. We used stratified random sampling to determine recruitment criteria. Self-reported data of consumption of antibiotics was collected by interviewing with mothers. The prescribing data gathered through using the information registered in the insurance records as gold standard. Statistical parameters which were calculated included Sensitivity, Specificity, PPV and NPV. The confidence interval of 95 % was computed for these indices.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Mean age of the children was 2.1 ± 1.5 years, and 52 % were girls. Maternal self-reported consumption of antibiotic among children estimated 62 %. Consumption of antibiotic based on the insurance records was seen in 3 % of the participants. The Sensitivity of maternal self-reported consumption of antibiotic among children was 72 % (95 % CI 57.5–83.8) and the PPV was 3.89 % (95 % CI 2.74–5.34). Specificity and NPV were calculated to be 37.9 % (95 % CI 35.4–40.5) and 97.5 % (95 % CI 95.8–98.6) in total population. In the parameters including suffering from chronic diseases, Self-reported awareness of antibiotic resistance, Mother as housekeeper, Specificity and NPV varied between 18.7 % and 97.5 % and the Sensitivity and PPV of were obtained between 2.86 % and 81.3 %.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The validity of self-reported antibiotic consumption in this population was low. Thence, self-reported antibiotic consumption should be given with discretion.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38091,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Africa Nursing Sciences","volume":"22 ","pages":"Article 100853"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143891414","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Work-related stress and its associated factors among nurses in public hospitals in the Greater Banjul Area, The Gambia","authors":"Tomilayo Felicity Omotosho ,&nbsp;Tobiloba Oyejide Alex Omotosho ,&nbsp;Paul Bass","doi":"10.1016/j.ijans.2025.100842","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijans.2025.100842","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>The nursing profession is inherently stressful, leading to absenteeism, increased errors, and reduced performance, which pose serious threats to patient safety. Despite these critical issues, research on work-related stress among nurses in The Gambia remains scarce. Therefore, this study sought to assess work-related stress and its associated factors among nurses in the Greater Banjul Area, The Gambia.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A cross-sectional study was conducted among 192 nurses in three public hospitals. A proportionate stratified random sampling method was used to stratify study participants by hospital and nursing cadre and recruit eligible participants. Data was collected using a structured self-administered questionnaire and the validated Nursing Stress Scale to assess work-related stress. Descriptive statistics, bivariate, and multivariable logistic regression models were used.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Most of the nurses were aged between 21 and 30 years (77.1 %, n = 148) and were females (59.2 %, n = 113). The prevalence of nurses’ work-related stress in this study was 53.6 %. Nurses who maintained a monogamous family (aOR = 2.06, 95 % CI = 1.08 ∼ 3.95), experienced psychological distress (aOR = 3.19, 95 % CI = 1.55 ∼ 6.57) and worked in accident and emergency/ICU (aOR = 6.85, 95 % CI = 1.64 ∼ 28.64) were at higher risk for developing work-related stress.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>More than half of the nurses experienced work-related stress. Nurses from monogamous families, experiencing psychological distress, and working in the A&amp;E/ICU department were more likely to report work stress. Practical measures such as implementing the Gambia’s occupational health laws are recommended to improve work stress for better mental health outcomes among nurses.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38091,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Africa Nursing Sciences","volume":"22 ","pages":"Article 100842"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143696896","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A retrospective cohort study of survival status and mortality predictors among children with severe acute malnutrition in public health facilities, Hawassa City, Southern Ethiopia","authors":"Bargude Balta ,&nbsp;Bedilu Bekele ,&nbsp;Alemu Bogale ,&nbsp;Deresse Daka","doi":"10.1016/j.ijans.2025.100824","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijans.2025.100824","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Purpose</h3><div>Despite improvements in child health and nutrition in Ethiopia, undernutrition remains a critical issue, causing half of child deaths. Many severely malnourished children seek treatment at therapeutic feeding centers, but a significant number still die in stabilization centers. This study aimed to estimate survival rates and identify predictors of mortality among children with severe acute malnutrition admitted to public health facilities in Hawassa City, Southern Ethiopia.</div></div><div><h3>Method</h3><div>A facility-based retrospective cohort study was employed to estimate survival status and predictors among under-five children with severe acute malnutrition admitted to selected health facilities. A total of 476 randomly selected under-five children with SAM from January 2018 to December 31, 2021, participated in the study. Data were analyzed by SPSS IBM version 26. Bivariable and multivariable Cox regression models assessed risk factors. Kaplan- Maier Curve and Long rank test were used to estimate cumulative survival probability and to compare survival status probability across different groups.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Over the 3-year observation period, the overall survival status was, (84.7 %), [95 % CI; 81.2, 87.8]. The incidence density of death was 3.8/100 person-day. The overall median survival time was 34 [95 % CI 32.2––37.5] days. After controlling for other factors, a child who had co-morbidities [AHR = 3.305, 95 %; CI:(1.1, 10.9)], and deworming using Albendazole [AHR = 5.3, 95 %; CI:(1.3, 21.7)] were identified as the independent predictors of the time to death.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38091,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Africa Nursing Sciences","volume":"22 ","pages":"Article 100824"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143402027","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Male student experience in a maternity nursing clinical course in Saudi Arabia","authors":"Fadiyah Jadid Alanazi ,&nbsp;Safaa Ibrahim Ahmed ,&nbsp;Layan Salem Alenezi ,&nbsp;Shaden Anad Almadhrash ,&nbsp;Sadeem Falah Alanazi ,&nbsp;Sama Sultan Alanazi ,&nbsp;Fathia Ahmed Mersal","doi":"10.1016/j.ijans.2025.100855","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijans.2025.100855","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study aims to explore the experiences of male nursing students in maternity clinical courses in Saudi Arabia, identifying the challenges they face and their perceptions of the role of male nurses in a traditionally female-dominated field. The study addresses a significant gap in the existing body of knowledge particularly within the context of Saudi Arabia. While there is a growing body of literature on gender dynamics in nursing, few studies specifically focus on the challenges and perceptions of male nursing students in traditionally female fields.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A qualitative phenomenological approach was employed, utilizing focus group discussions with twelve male nursing students from various regions of Saudi Arabia. Open-end questions was used to collect the data. Thematic analysis was conducted to identify key themes related to their experiences in maternity nursing courses.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Four main themes emerged from the data: (1) Attraction to Maternity Nursing—participants expressed reluctance to specialize in maternity nursing due to societal perceptions; (2) Perceptions of Male Roles—students felt out of place in maternity settings, influenced by gender stereotypes; (3) Challenges in Providing Care—participants reported discomfort in interacting with female patients and faced barriers in gaining practical experience; (4) Support and Inclusion—there were mixed feelings about the support received from educators and colleagues, highlighting the need for a more inclusive environment.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>The study underscores the significant impact of cultural and societal norms on male nursing students in maternity care. It highlights the need for targeted support and educational initiatives to foster a more inclusive environment for male nurses and encourage their full participation in maternity nursing roles.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38091,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Africa Nursing Sciences","volume":"22 ","pages":"Article 100855"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144071308","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparison of mental health and mother–child bonding between mothers of children with and without developmental delay","authors":"Khadijeh Khalili-Azar ,&nbsp;Somayeh Abdolalipour ,&nbsp;Monireh Hamed-Biabani ,&nbsp;Seifollah Heidarabadi ,&nbsp;Mojgan Mirghafourvand","doi":"10.1016/j.ijans.2025.100849","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijans.2025.100849","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Caregivers of children with developmental delay (DD) may be at risk of mental disorders, and mother–child bonding levels likely differ from those observed in mothers of well-developed children. This study aimed to compare the mental health and mother–child bonding levels between mothers of well-developed children and mothers of children affected with DD.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This case-control study was conducted in 2022 on 150 mothers of under five years old children with DD referred to the development center (case group) and 150 mothers of well-developed children referred to Tabriz health centers (control group). The case group was sampled through convenience sampling and the control group through the random sampling method. Both case and control groups were matched in terms of child age. Data was collected by interviewing the participants using a socio-demographic information<!--> <!-->questionnaire, Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQ), General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28), and mother–child bonding questionnaire used as data collection instruments.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>After adjusting for socio-demographic variables, there was no longer a statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of social dysfunction (B (95 % CI): −0.6 (−1.3 to 0.01), P = 0.052), but, the difference in care anxiety between the two groups was statistically significant (B (95 % CI): 0.6 (0.01 to 1.2), P = 0.047).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>There is no difference in mental health status in mothers of children with DD than in mothers of well-developed children, but caregiver anxiety is probably higher in mothers of children with DD. Future studies using different methods in this area are warranted.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38091,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Africa Nursing Sciences","volume":"22 ","pages":"Article 100849"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143839329","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Self-care in nursing: A bibliometric analysis (1976–2023)","authors":"Mahsa Hosseini ,&nbsp;Soheila Shamsikhani ,&nbsp;Masoomeh Noruzi Zamengani ,&nbsp;Sediqullah Ahmadi ,&nbsp;Ali Jadidi","doi":"10.1016/j.ijans.2025.100821","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijans.2025.100821","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Context</h3><div>This study conducted a science mapping analysis of Self-care for nurses research until 1 January 2024. Self-care is a crucial element in promoting global health. Self-care can lead to the health and happiness of nurses. The purpose of this study was to identify the authoritative journals in this field, and topics related to nurses’ self-care.</div></div><div><h3>Evidence Acquisition</h3><div>The present study was a bibliometric analysis that used science mapping techniques and data was extracted from the Web of Science and Scopus. Based on the study population and the outcome, Self-care and nurses were considered as the main search terms. Data collection and analysis may be divided into two main: descriptive and bibliometric. The use of VOSviewer for analysis.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>This study retrieved 102 publications which, 74 (58%) were articles and 12 (11%) were reviewed articles. The United States is the most effective country in this field with the most publications and citations. Common related to self-care, nursing, work factors, and health-related. The International Journal of Nursing Studies from Elsevier has the most citations in the WOS and Scopus databases.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Due to the lack of research in the field, there is a concern to produce information and research in this field. The importance of research in this field is related to the role of nurses in the health system. self-care can help improve global health by improving the physical and mental health of nurses. Therefore, it is suggested that pay special attention to Self-care for nurses.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38091,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Africa Nursing Sciences","volume":"22 ","pages":"Article 100821"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143349776","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Knowledge on availability of suicide preventive services among undergraduate students at a public university in Ghana","authors":"Koduah Amankwah ,&nbsp;Apedani Dominic ,&nbsp;Azie Aren-enge Reubean ,&nbsp;Ankamah Ababio Christian ,&nbsp;Odotei Adjei Rose ,&nbsp;Brempong Appiah Emmanuel ,&nbsp;Okyere Paul","doi":"10.1016/j.ijans.2025.100851","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ijans.2025.100851","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>The incidence of suicide cases and its related episodes is on the increase in tertiary institutions and attracts extreme mass media attention. Globally, over 800,000 people die of suicide every year and it is the second leading cause of death in 15–29-year-olds. The study sought to determine how well-informed undergraduate students are about suicide prevention services available at a public university in Ghana.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This study employed a cross-sectional study design and quantitative approach. A well-structured close-ended questionnaire was used to assess students’ knowledge of the availability of suicide preventive services among undergraduate students in all six colleges of a public University campus in Ghana.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The study found out that the majority of the students (86.29 %) did not know whether the university had suicide support/prevention hotlines or not, however, ten per cent (10 %) of them were aware of such hotlines and eleven per cent (11 %) was able to provide the service number correctly. Some respondents said the unit is not accessible to them and cited reasons ranging from location or distance (74.04 %). On whether the university has a mental health service available, eleven per cent (11 %) were aware of such services while forty-four per cent were not sure if such services exist or not. But then 43.79 % were sure that such services were not available. Most of them (76.03 %) knew there was a helpline for such services, however only a few students (10.00 %) could produce the number. The student’s access to other informal social support systems for comfort, reassurance and encouragement was assessed and the findings show that the majority of them rely on family (79.15 %) and friends (95.61 %) for such support.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The majority of the students have no idea about the availability of suicide preventive services. It is recommended that the university authorities focus on mental health education programmes, orientation and awareness creation should also be organised regularly to increase students’ knowledge on the availability of suicide preventive services. Also, during orientation programmes for freshmen (new students) awareness creation on counselling services and mental health services in the university hospital is possible at the beginning of every academic year. Dissemination of suicide and mental health services’ hotlines/helplines to students can be done through bulk SMS messages to individual students’ cell phones.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":38091,"journal":{"name":"International Journal of Africa Nursing Sciences","volume":"22 ","pages":"Article 100851"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143882130","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}