Mental health among college users of mental health services: suicide risk screening and prevention strategies

Abstract Objective. The goal of this study was to assess the mental health among college users of psychological care services, to identify their suicidal risk and discuss mental health promotion and the relevance of suicide prevention strategies within this population. Method. 145 college students between 17 and 26 years old (m= 20.81, σ=1.9) answered psychological tests (validated for Mexican population) including an Informed Consent Form, the World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire BREF (WHOQoL-BREF), Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Results. The analysis showed that more than a half of participants had suicidal ideation (50.34%), moderate-high symptomatology of anxiety (63.89%), depression (58.70%) and quality of life close to the mean score in all the factors (49.40-51.27). Conclusions. The results showed that college student users of psychological care services have high anxiety and depression symptomatology and it is worse if there is suicidal ideation, however, the results are not consistent with the WHO-QoL BREF that indicates that there is no affectation in the psychological area.