EXPLORING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN QUALITY OF LIFE AND SUICIDAL IDEATION AMONG UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS IN NIGERIA

This study investigates the relationship between Quality of Life (QoL) and suicidal
ideation among undergraduate students in Nigeria, a demographic known to be at high
risk for mental health issues. The research employs a comprehensive approach, utilizing
descriptive statistics, Cronbach's reliability tests, correlation analysis, regression
analysis, ANOVA, and Odds Ratio analysis to assess the link between various QoL
domains and the prevalence of suicidal thoughts. The findings indicate that students
generally report moderate to high levels of satisfaction across QoL domains, particularly
in areas such as material comfort, physical health, and relationships. However, despite
these high satisfaction levels, there remains a notable presence of suicidal ideation
within the population. The correlation analysis reveals significant relationships between
higher QoL scores and reduced levels of suicidal ideation, suggesting that enhanced QoL
factors may serve as protective elements against suicidal thoughts. While the regression
analysis confirms a statistically significant relationship between QoL and suicidal
ideation, it also highlights that QoL alone is a weak predictor, explaining only a small
percentage of the variance in suicidal ideation. This underscores the complexity of
mental health outcomes, indicating that other factors such as academic stress and social
support may also play crucial roles. The ANOVA results further demonstrate significant
differences in suicidal ideation across different levels of QoL, reinforcing the importance
of addressing QoL in mental health interventions. Interestingly, the Odds Ratio analysis
presents a paradoxical finding where lower QoL scores are associated with reduced odds
of suicidal ideation, suggesting that higher QoL might sometimes correlate with
increased expectations and pressures, potentially leading to greater mental health
challenges. These results have practical implications for mental health services within
universities, advocating for a holistic approach that enhances QoL through targeted
interventions in physical health, social relationships, and material comfort. The study
concludes with a call for further research to explore additional factors influencing
suicidal ideation and to develop tailored strategies to improve student well-being and
reduce suicide risk.