Suicide Ideation and Its Correlates among University Undergraduates in South Western Nigeria

Ojo M. Agunbiade, Obafemi Awolowo University/ Department of Sociology and Anthropology
Ayodele Ajibola, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Obafemi Awolowo University

In Nigeria, suicide is one of the leading causes of death among young people aged 15 to 29 years, yet there is dearth of studies with focus on associated risk factors. This study focuses on potential social factors that are associated with suicidal ideation among emerging adults in universities in Nigeria. Based on a concurrent mixed method design, a survey was conducted among a proportionate sample of 500 emerging adults (18-25years that are undergraduates) with four focus group discussion among the same group and six interviews among social workers in two Nigerian public universities. Quantitative evidence implicated irregular financial support (OR=0.60; p<0.05) and broken intimate relationship (OR=1.57; P<0.05), and the qualitative findings described academic challenges, substance abuse, and parents ’marital problems as predisposing factors to suicidal ideation. Factors in the network of relationships of emerging adults, contradictions in social expectations and inadequate support systems are predisposing factors to suicide ideation.