Abstract
Background
Students of higher education may be at a greater risk of suicide and, as such, have received increased attention in recent years. The transition to university life can be challenging, marked by academic pressure, social adjustments, financial burdens, and increased levels of stress. For some students, these factors can be exacerbated by underlying mental health disorders and may even lead to feelings of loneliness or hopelessness. By raising mental health awareness and ensuring students are exposed to proper support, universities can play a crucial role in preventing suicide and promoting student mental health and well-being.
Aim
The study aimed to assess the prevalence, accessibility, and requirement of suicide prevention training and to summarise the prevalence of preselected suicide-related terminology within the Chiropractic Department that resides in the Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) at the University of Johannesburg (UJ).
Research Methodology
This study was a quantitative, cross-sectional, and explorative study in the form of a document review conducted from 1st to 2nd of June, 2024. Suicide prevention training was searched throughout the University of Johannesburg’s public domain, and The Centre for Psychological Services and Career Development (PsyCaD) was contacted to assess suicide prevention efforts, availability, and requirements of such programs for chiropractic students. The selected suicide-related terminology, chosen based on their strong association with suicide and self-harm, was searched via the online UJ database, https://www.uj.ac.za/.The search covered the Faculty of Health Science (FHS), the Department of Chiropractic, and PsyCaD. The content of each ‘Uniform Resource Locator’ (URLs) and associated digital documentation was reviewed, utilising the ‘find’ function (control + F command). Information obtained in hard copy formats, such as posters and flyers, was manually reviewed to identify the prevalence of suicide-related terminology. All documents reviewed were free and easily accessible by all registered chiropractic students. The study aimed to exclude all other Institutions, faculties, and departments.
Results
At the time of the study there was no formal requirement for suicide prevention training or elective programs available via the Chiropractic Department for registered chiropractic students. Neither was it a requirement by the University of Johannesburg (UJ) for students when applying for a first-year chiropractic course, and as such insufficient results were obtained. The study yielded a review of a total of n=117, aiming to determine the prevalence of the preselected suicide-related terminology. The most prevalent term throughout the documents was the Centre of ‘Psychological Services and Career Development / PsyCaD’ being mentioned in 30.80% (n=36) of the documents.
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The least prevalent terms found, were ‘LGBTQ+ issues’ which were specifically mentioned in only 3.40% (n=4) of the documents, followed by ‘suicidality’ which was mentioned in 1.70% (n=2) and ‘self-directed violence/ self-harm’ which was referred to in only 0.09% (n=1) of the documents.
The predetermined suicide-related terms and phrases were identified a total of 177 times across the various documents reviewed.
Conclusion
At the time of the study, UJ had no formal requirements for suicide prevention training, nor were there elective programs available, for current or registering chiropractic students. The absence of formal training programs provides an opportunity to make impactful changes for future chiropractic students. The FHS and Chiropractic Department have an opportunity to work in partnership with PsyCaD to establish efficient awareness and prevention initiatives throughout the chiropractic degree.
The document review identified that PsyCaD was the most prevalent predetermined suicide-related term used throughout, highlighting their important role in UJ’s students’ academic careers. PsyCaD acts as a primary contact point for students struggling with their mental well-being and allows students to obtain the necessary help they need. The least prevalent terms identified were ‘LGBTQ+ issues’, ‘suicidality’, and ‘self-directed violence/ self-harm’, indicating that these topics may require more attention and awareness than the other suicide-related terminology. It may also reflect societal trends where these terms are stigmatised, leading to less frequent mentions in official documents. The lack of prevalence of these terms indicates a potential area for investigation within UJ’s public domain.
The study’s findings are valuable for UJ, the FHS, the Chiropractic Department and, PsyCaD in recognising the existing gaps in suicide awareness, its associated risk factors and overall mental well-being. There is potential to improve online materials, visibility of resources, and support structures. This shift in focus has the potential to better facilitate mental health outcomes and, essentially, overall student resilience and safety at UJ.