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Factors that influence suicide behaviours and tendencies amongst university undergraduates in Nigeria: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

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Title: Factors that influence suicide behaviours and tendencies amongst university undergraduates in Nigeria: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Authors: Akinlotan, Oladapo (AUTHOR), Vidanage, Dinithi (AUTHOR), Ajibade, Benjamin (AUTHOR), Asamoah, Ebenezer (AUTHOR), Faleti, Daniel (AUTHOR), Udushirinwa, Christopher (AUTHOR)
Source: Journal of Mental Health. Jun2026, Vol. 35 Issue 3, p393-414. 22p.
Subjects: Suicide risk factors, Risk assessment, Medical information storage & retrieval systems, Pearson correlation (Statistics), School environment, Suicidal ideation, T-test (Statistics), Stress management, Undergraduates, CINAHL database, Multiple regression analysis, Logistic regression analysis, Socioeconomic factors, Mental illness, Emotional intelligence, Meta-analysis, Descriptive statistics, Chi-squared test, Systematic reviews, MEDLINE, Thematic analysis, Suicide prevention, Analysis of variance, Academic achievement, Psychological stress, Helplessness (Psychology), Despair, Psychology of college students, Data analysis software, Counseling, Social support, Psychology information storage & retrieval systems, Regression analysis, Poverty, Psychological vulnerability, Psychosocial factors
Geographic Terms: Nigeria
Abstract: Background: Suicide is a major pressing public health concern, especially among young people in low-medium income countries like Nigeria and a major common cause of deaths among people aged 15–29 across the world. Aim: This study aims to identify the factors that influence suicide behaviours and tendencies amongst university undergraduates in Nigeria. Method: A systematic review of peer-reviewed primary studies followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines and was registered with PROSPERO. Eight databases (African Journal Online, African Index Medicus, CINAHL Complete, MEDLINE Complete, PsycINFO, APA PsycArticles and Psychology, Embase and Google Scholar) were searched for studies published between 2019 and 2025. A total of 31 studies were included after rigorous screening. Results: Thematic analysis identified three major themes and eleven sub-themes. These are academic factors (academic demands, academic stress, academic performance and academic environments), socioeconomic factors (family issues, parental problems, financial problems, media and internet) and psychological factors (mental illness, emotional intelligence, helplessness and hopelessness). Conclusion: Suicidal behaviours among Nigerian undergraduates arise from the combined effects of academic, socioeconomic and psychological stressors and vulnerabilities. Recommendations: A coordinated response, including university counselling and stress-management programmes, financial aid, family/community support, are needed to reduce student suicidality. PRSIMA/PROSPERO STATEMENT: This review has been conducted and reported in line with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). The protocol was registered on PROSPERO (Registration number: CRD42024591390). Date of registration: 18 September 2024. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Journal of Mental Health is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
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  Data: Factors that influence suicide behaviours and tendencies amongst university undergraduates in Nigeria: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
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  Data: Background: Suicide is a major pressing public health concern, especially among young people in low-medium income countries like Nigeria and a major common cause of deaths among people aged 15–29 across the world. Aim: This study aims to identify the factors that influence suicide behaviours and tendencies amongst university undergraduates in Nigeria. Method: A systematic review of peer-reviewed primary studies followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines and was registered with PROSPERO. Eight databases (African Journal Online, African Index Medicus, CINAHL Complete, MEDLINE Complete, PsycINFO, APA PsycArticles and Psychology, Embase and Google Scholar) were searched for studies published between 2019 and 2025. A total of 31 studies were included after rigorous screening. Results: Thematic analysis identified three major themes and eleven sub-themes. These are academic factors (academic demands, academic stress, academic performance and academic environments), socioeconomic factors (family issues, parental problems, financial problems, media and internet) and psychological factors (mental illness, emotional intelligence, helplessness and hopelessness). Conclusion: Suicidal behaviours among Nigerian undergraduates arise from the combined effects of academic, socioeconomic and psychological stressors and vulnerabilities. Recommendations: A coordinated response, including university counselling and stress-management programmes, financial aid, family/community support, are needed to reduce student suicidality. PRSIMA/PROSPERO STATEMENT: This review has been conducted and reported in line with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). The protocol was registered on PROSPERO (Registration number: CRD42024591390). Date of registration: 18 September 2024. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Mental Health is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1080/09638237.2026.2646295
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 22
        StartPage: 393
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Suicide risk factors
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Risk assessment
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Medical information storage & retrieval systems
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Pearson correlation (Statistics)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: School environment
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Suicidal ideation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: T-test (Statistics)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Stress management
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Undergraduates
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: CINAHL database
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Multiple regression analysis
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      – SubjectFull: Logistic regression analysis
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Socioeconomic factors
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Mental illness
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Emotional intelligence
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Meta-analysis
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Descriptive statistics
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      – SubjectFull: Chi-squared test
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      – SubjectFull: MEDLINE
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      – SubjectFull: Thematic analysis
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Suicide prevention
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Analysis of variance
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      – SubjectFull: Academic achievement
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      – SubjectFull: Psychological stress
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      – SubjectFull: Despair
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Psychology of college students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Data analysis software
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      – SubjectFull: Social support
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Psychology information storage & retrieval systems
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Regression analysis
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Poverty
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Psychological vulnerability
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Psychosocial factors
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Nigeria
        Type: general
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      – TitleFull: Factors that influence suicide behaviours and tendencies amongst university undergraduates in Nigeria: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
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              Text: Jun2026
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