Social determinants of quality of life among undergraduate students and their association with suicide risk

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15448/1980-6108.2023.1.44860

Keywords:

quality of life, students, universities, suicide

Abstract

Objective: to evaluate the quality of life and the relationship with the risk of suicide. Methods: cross-sectional study with undergraduates from a public university in Brazil. Quality of life was measured by the WHOQOL-Bref. A hierarchical model was tested using simple linear regression. The association of quality of life with suicide risk was assessed by Poisson regression. Results: 996 students participated with an average quality of life score of 61.0±13.8. Female gender, non-white, non-heterosexual sexual orientation, poorer, food insecure, using public transport, fear of violence in the neighborhood, history of discrimination and dissatisfi ed with the undergraduate course had a worse quality of life, which led to an 11-fold increased likelihood of suicide risk. Conclusion: the level of quality of life of the sample studied was low, being associated with greater socioeconomic vulnerability, which contributes to the increased risk of suicide. It is suggested to strengthen student assistance services at universities to promote improvements in quality of life through actions to promote social well-being, which may have eff ects on students’ mental health.

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Author Biographies

Lauro Miranda Demenech , Federal University of Rio Grande (FURG), Post-Graduation Program in Health Sciences (PPGCS), Center for Studies on Risco e Saúde (CERIS), Pós-Graduação em Psicologia Program (PPGPsi), Rio Grande, RS, Brazil.

Doctor of Health Sciences; master in Public Health; degree in Psychology, all from the Federal University of Rio Grande (FURG), in Rio Grande, RS, Brazil. Adjunct professor of the Psychology course at the Federal University of Rio Grande (FURG), the Postgraduate Program in Public Health (PPGSP/FURG) and the Postgraduate Program in Psychology (PPGPsi/FURG). Deputy coordinator of the Center for Risk and Health Studies (CERIS/FURG).

Renata Gomes Paulitsch, Federal University of Rio Grande (FURG), Dean of Student Affairs (PRAE), Rio Grande, RS, Brazil.

PhD in Health Sciences and Master in Public Health from the Federal University of Rio Grande (FURG), in Rio Grande, RS, Brazil. Graduated in Nutrition from the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUC-RS), in Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. Nutritionist at the Federal University of Rio Grande (FURG), in Rio Grande, RS, Brazil.

Laura Silva da Silva, Federal University of Rio Grande (FURG), Center for Risk and Health Studies (CERIS), Rio Grande, RS, Brazil.

Graduated in Psychology from the Federal University of Rio Grande (FURG), in Rio Grande, RS, Brazil. Master's student in Psychology from the Postgraduate Program in Psychology at the Federal University of Rio Grande (PPGPsi/FURG), in Rio Grande, RS, Brazil. Researcher at the Center for Studies on Risk and Health (CERIS-FURG).

Ana Carolina Rodrigues Martins, Federal University of Rio Grande (FURG), Center for Risk and Health Studies (CERIS), Rio Grande, RS, Brazil

Graduated in Psychology from the Federal University of Rio Grande (FURG), in Rio Grande, RS, Brazil. Researcher at the Center for Studies on Risk and Health (CERIS-FURG).

Lucas Neiva-Silva, Federal University of Rio Grande (FURG), Center for Studies on Risk and Health (CERIS), Postgraduate Program in Psychology (PPGPsi), Rio Grande, RS, Brazil.

PhD in Psychology from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), in Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; with a postdoctoral degree from the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), in Madrid, Spain; master's degree in Developmental Psychology from UFRGS, in Porto Alegre, RS Brazil; graduated in Psychology from the University of Brasília (UnB), in Brasília, DF, Brazil. Associate professor and coordinator of the Psychology course at the Federal University of Rio Grande (FURG), in Rio Grande, RS, Brazil; supervisor professor of the Postgraduate Program in Psychology at FURG (PPGPsico) and the Postgraduate Program in Public Health at FURG (PPGSP), coordinator of the Center for Studies on Risk and Health (CERIS-FURG).

Samuel de Carvalho Dumith, Federal University of Rio Grande (FURG), Postgraduate Program in Health Sciences (PPGCS), Rio Grande, RS, Brazil.

PhD in Epidemiology; master in Epidemiology; graduated in Physical Education from the Federal University of Pelotas (UFPel), in Pelotas, RS, Brazil; with post-doctorate in Epidemiology (UFPel). Associate professor at the Federal University of Rio Grande (FURG), in Rio Grande, RS, Brazil; and professor of the Postgraduate Program in Health Sciences. Leads the Research Group on Physical Activity and Public Health (GPASP). Level 1-C research productivity scholarship from CNPQ.

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Published

2023-12-12

How to Cite

Miranda Demenech , L., Gomes Paulitsch, R., Silva da Silva, L., Rodrigues Martins, A. C., Neiva-Silva, L., & de Carvalho Dumith, S. (2023). Social determinants of quality of life among undergraduate students and their association with suicide risk. Scientia Medica, 33(1), e44860. https://doi.org/10.15448/1980-6108.2023.1.44860

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Vol. 33 No. 1 (2023): Single Volume - Continuous Flow of Publication

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Original Articles

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