Suicide risk among university students: a cross-cultural study comparing India and Italy

BACKGROUND: Suicide accounts for 727,000 deaths every year and university students are a population at elevated risk. Suicide mortality rate and suicidal manifestations vary worldwide based on ethnicity, income-level, environmental characteristics, cultural values and religion. The present study aimed to compare: 1) Indian and Italian university students in terms of suicidal ideation (SI) and psychological/psychiatric, somatic pain and social measures; 2) students with and without SI. METHODS: Participants were 18-35 years old university students, and they completed a battery of self-report questionnaires investigating sociodemographic, clinical, psychological/psychiatric, somatic pain and social variables. Data were collected through online surveys. RESULTS: Indian students, compared to Italians, reported more SI (26.37% vs. 20.24%), worse psychological difficulties and physical pain, and lower social support. Indians with SI reported higher psychological and somatic symptoms, and – unexpectedly – social support, compared to those without SI. Among students with SI, Indians, compared to Italians, more frequently reported psychological/psychiatric symptoms, higher somatic pain and higher social support. CONCLUSIONS: Results should be interpreted considering the socioeconomic and cultural context, specifically the rapid economic growth of India, the different cultural values and attitude toward suicide in the two countries, and the different role of social support in collectivistic societies like India.