In universities, sharing information is a contentious but frequently discussed suicide prevention strategy. The purpose of this study was to determine which students are most and least likely to consent to having their emergency contacts notified by the institution if they have major mental health concerns. Regular cross-sectional data from 29,799 students at a UK institution in 2020 and 31,998 students in 2021 were collected. A descriptive summary of the percentage of students who opted in to a "permission to contact policy" over years was made. Several logistic regression models looked at the likelihood that students would opt-in depending on their characteristics clinical depression, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity, status as a domestic or international student, handicap, study method, and degree of study). Most students choose to accept the policy. Clinical depression is most often present had the strongest correlations in 2020 with not opting in. Being a taught postgraduate student, identifying as male, lesbian/gay/bisexual, Asian race, and claiming a handicap were additional indicators of not opting-in. The 2021 dataset confirmed these findings. The least likely to opt-in pupils tend to be some of the most susceptible. The availability of emergency contacts at universities may have gaps that could result in significant injury or even death. It is necessary to conduct more research to determine why the groups mentioned in this study are less likely to opt-in and what kind of additional assistance they might need.
Published Date: 2023-05-30; Received Date: 2023-05-01
