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Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the food safety knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of Bangladeshi consumers and investigate their associations with various demographic factors. Methods: This national cross‐sectional study utilized a face‐to‐face survey using a structured questionnaire to recruit 1400 adult consumers between September 2022 and November 2022. Multiple linear regression analysis was employed to determine the factors associated with the food safety KAP. Results: The current findings revealed that consumers had moderate knowledge (overall correct response rate of 65.3% with a mean score of 13.06 ± 2.88 on a scale of 0 to 20), excellent attitudes (overall correct response rate for food safety knowledge was 81.8% with a mean score of 14.72 ± 2.72 on a scale of 0 to 18), and relatively poor practices (overall correct response rate was 51.7% with a mean score of 35.17 ± 11.2 on a scale of 0 to 68). Participants who were male, had higher education, were employed, were familiar with the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority, and residing outside the Mymensingh division, demonstrated greater food safety knowledge. However, participants from Barisal, Rangpur, and Dhaka, who were less educated, had fewer children, and only occasionally cooked, had negative attitudes about food safety. Additionally, individuals from all administrative divisions except Mymensingh and Chittagong, who were employed, had fewer children, had experienced food poisoning, and had inadequate food safety practices. Conclusion: These findings suggest that the Bangladeshi government should intensify efforts to enhance consumer awareness regarding food safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Diabetes management poses significant challenges worldwide, with individuals often facing increased risks of mental health issues, including suicidal behaviors. While traditional statistical methods have been used to assess risk factors, this study introduces machine learning techniques to predict suicidal behaviors among diabetic patients. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of suicidal behaviors among individuals with diabetes in Bangladesh using both traditional statistical methods and machine learning models. Methods: A cross‐sectional study was carried out with 390 diabetic patients, assessing demographic characteristics, diabetes‐related variables, mental health indicators, and suicidal behaviors. Statistical analyses including chi‐square tests and logistic regression, and various machine learning models, were employed to examine associations and predict risk factors. Results: This study found that 13.8% of the individuals with diabetes reported lifetime suicidal behavior and 9.0% reported past‐year suicidal behavior. Significant risk factors associated with higher rates of suicidal behaviors included younger age, marital status, lower monthly income, higher educational attainment, being insulin users, not having a family history of diabetes, and suffering from anxiety. Among the machine learning models tested, the CatBoost model outperformed others, obtaining low log loss values of 0.45 and 0.32 for lifetime and past‐year suicidal behaviors, respectively. CatBoost demonstrated excellent accuracy rates of 83.97% and 88.46%, significantly higher than those of traditional logistic regression models. The most significant predictors identified by machine learning were treatment type, followed by occupation, anxiety, age group, and having chronic diseases. Conclusion: The findings suggest the urgent need for comprehensive interventions and support systems for individuals managing diabetes, particularly those at higher risk of suicidal behaviors. Machine learning offers improved predictive power and the ability to identify complex patterns in risk factors. Collaborative efforts between healthcare providers, mental health professionals, and public health initiatives are essential for prioritizing mental well‐being in diabetes management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: Postpartum depression (PPD) is a globally recognized public health concern, yet research focusing on women in urban areas of Bangladesh remains unexplored. This study aimed to address this research gap by investigating the prevalence and associated factors of PPD within the first 2 years after childbirth. Methods: A cross‐sectional study was conducted, enrolling 259 women (26.66 ± 4.57 years) residing in urban areas who were attending healthcare delivery centers. Sociodemographic factors, child‐related issues, pregnancy‐related complications, and PPD using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) were used for data collection. Data analysis involved the application of χ2 tests and logistic regression analysis using SPSS software. Results: This study found a 60.6% prevalence of PPD using a cutoff of 10 (out of 30) on the EPDS scale. Logistic regression analysis identified several significant factors associated with PPD, including high monthly family income (odds ratio [OR] = 47.51, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 8.34–270.54, p < 0.001), income dissatisfaction (OR = 14.28, 95% CI: 4.75–42.87, p < 0.001), up to two gravidities (OR = 2.94, 95% CI = 1.25–6.90, p = 0.013), pregnancy‐related complications (OR = 2.70, 95% CI = 1.05–6.96, p = 0.039), increased antenatal care visits, and higher childbirth expenses. Conclusion: This study underscores the high prevalence of PPD among urban mothers in Bangladesh. The identified risk factors emphasize the need for targeted mental health initiatives, specifically tailored to support the vulnerable group. Implementing such initiatives can effectively address the challenges posed by PPD and enhance the well‐being of postpartum women in urban areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Internet Disorder Scale–Short Form (IDS9-SF) is a validated instrument assessing internet disorder which modified the internet gaming disorder criteria proposed in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). However, the relationships between the nine items in the IDS9-SF are rarely investigated. The present study used network analysis to investigate the features of the IDS9-SF among three populations in Bangladesh, Iran, and Pakistan. Data were collected (N = 1901; 957 [50.3%] females; 666 [35.0%] Pakistani, 533 [28.1%] Bangladesh, and 702 [36.9%] Iranians) using an online survey platform (e.g., Google Forms). All the participants completed the IDS9-SF. The central-stability-coefficients of the nine IDS9-SF items were 0.71, 0.89, 0.96, 0.98, 0.98, 1.00, 0.67, 0.79, and 0.91, respectively. The node centrality was stable and interpretable in the network. The Network Comparison Test (NCT) showed that the network structure had no significant differences among Pakistani, Bangladeshi, and Iranian participants (p-values = 0.172 to 0.371). Researchers may also use the IDS9-SF to estimate underlying internet addiction for their target participants and further explore and investigate the phenomenon related to internet addiction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This study aims to assess the prevalence and associated factors of depression among diabetic patients in a cross-sectional sample and perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of the extant studies to date. Methods: A face-to-face semi-structured interview of established diabetic patients was conducted in four districts of Bangladesh between May 24 to June 24, 2022, and the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ–2) was used to detect depression. PRISMA guidelines were followed to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis, with Bangladeshi articles published until 3rd February 2023. Results: The prevalence of depression among 390 diabetic patients was 25.9%. Having secondary education and using both insulin and medication increased the likelihood of depression, whereas being a business professional and being physically active reduced the likelihood of depression. The systematic review and meta-analysis indicated that the pooled estimated prevalence of depression was 42% (95% CI 32–52%). Females had a 1.12-times higher risk of depression than males (OR = 1.12, 95% CI: 0.99 to 1.25, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Two-fifths of diabetic patients were depressed, with females at higher risk. Since depression among diabetic patients increases adverse outcomes, improved awareness and screening methods should be implemented to detect and treat depression in diabetic patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although several studies have been conducted in Bangladesh regarding sleep problems during the COVID-19 pandemic, none have utilized a large nationwide sample or presented their findings based on nationwide geographical distribution. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to explore the total sleep duration, night-time sleep, and daily naptime and their associated factors as well as geographic information system (GIS) distribution. A cross-sectional survey was carried out among 9730 people in April 2020, including questions relating to socio-demographic variables, behavioral and health factors, lockdown, depression, suicidal ideation, night sleep duration, and naptime duration. Descriptive and inferential statistics, both linear and multivariate regression, and spatial distribution were performed using Microsoft Excel, SPSS, Stata, and ArcGIS software. The results indicated that 64.7% reported sleeping 7–9 h a night, while 29.6% slept less than 7 h nightly, and 5.7% slept more than 9 h nightly. 43.7% reported 30–60 min of daily nap duration, whereas 20.9% napped for more than 1 h daily. Significant predictors of total daily sleep duration were being aged 18–25 years, being unemployed, being married, self-isolating 4 days or more, economic hardship, and depression. For nap duration, being aged 18–25 years, retired, a smoker, and a social media user were at relatively higher risk. The GIS distribution showed that regional division areas with high COVID-19 exposure had higher rates of non-normal sleep duration. Sleep duration showed a regional heterogeneity across the regional divisions of the country that exhibited significant associations with a multitude of socioeconomic and health factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Students are one of the most vulnerable groups to suicide. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, a Bangladeshi study was conducted assessing their suicide patterns regarding gender-based associations. But how has the pandemic changed the Bangladeshi students' suicide patterns is not studied yet, which is investigated herein. Besides, for the first time, this study provides GIS-based distribution of suicide cases across the country's administrative district. Methods: As Bangladesh has no suicide surveillance system, this study utilized media reporting suicide cases following the prior studies. A total of 127 students' suicide cases from March 2020 to March 2021 were finally analyzed after eliminating the duplicate ones, and data were synthesized following the prior studies. Arc-GIS was also used to distribute the suicide cases across the administrative district. Results: Results revealed that female (72.4%; n = 92/127) was more prone to die by suicide than males. About 42.5% of the cases were aged between 14 and 18 years (mean age 16.44 ± 3.512 years). The most common method of suicide was hanging (79.5%; n = 101), whereas relationship complexities (15.7%), being emotional (12.6%), not getting the desired one (11%), conflict with a family member (9.4%), academic failure (9.4%), mental health problem (8.7%), sexual complexities (6.3%), scolded or forbidden by parents (3.9%) were the prominent suicide causalities. In respect to gender and suicide patterns, only the suicide stressor was significantly distributed, whereas the method of suicide was significantly associated with GIS-based distribution. However, a higher number of suicide cases was documented in the capital (i.e. Dhaka) and the northern region than in its surrounding districts. Conclusions: The findings reported herein are assumed to be helpful to identify the gender-based suicide patterns and suicide-prone regions in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic to initiate suicide prevention programs of the risky students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Suicide is considered as one of the major public health concerns, which can be prevented with cost-effective and timely intervention. In Bangladesh, very few studies assessed the suicidal behavior of rural community people. Thus, this Bangladesh Community Mental Health Study (BD ComMen Study) attempted to understand the current situation of suicidality in Bangladeshi rural community people considering three-time frames: lifetime, past year, and past month. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a rural community in Bangladesh between May 17 and 31, 2022, using a cluster sampling technique. Information on socio-demographics, COVID-19-related factors, depression, anxiety, insomnia, and suicidal behaviors was collected. The Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test and logistic regression were used to analyze the data. Results: During their lifetime, 33.1% of the rural community people had suicidal thoughts, whereas 5.5% made a plan for suicide and 1.8% attempted suicide. The prevalence of past-year suicidal ideation was 3.9%, whereas 1.4% had a suicide plan. In addition, 0.6% had past-month suicidal thoughts, although none of them had planned or attempted suicide. The factors associated with suicidal behaviors included males, lower age, lower educational grade, low-earning jobs, living in a government-provided house, family history of mental health and suicide, and suffering from anxiety and insomnia. Conclusions: Suicidal behaviors among the rural community people are of great concern as most of the rural people in Bangladesh do not have enough mental health literacy for treatment-seeking due to a high level of mental health-related stigma. Thus, this study would likely help to initiate further studies and stimulate suicide prevention programs, because most suicide can be prevented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recently developed Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) is a seven-item uni-dimensional scale that assesses the severity of fears of COVID-19. Given the rapid increase of COVID-19 cases in Bangladesh, we aimed to translate and validate the FCV-19S in Bangla. The forward-backward translation method was used to translate the English version of the questionnaire into Bangla. The reliability and validity properties of the Bangla FCV-19S were rigorously psychometrically evaluated (utilizing both confirmatory factor analysis and Rasch analysis) in relation to socio-demographic variables, national lockdown variables, and response to the Bangla Health Patient Questionnaire. The sample comprised 8550 Bangladeshi participants. The Cronbach α value for the Bangla FCV-19S was 0.871 indicating very good internal reliability. The results of the confirmatory factor analysis showed that the uni-dimensional factor structure of the FCV-19S fitted well with the data. The FCV-19S was significantly correlated with the nine-item Bangla Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-90) (r = 0.406, p < 0.001). FCV-19S scores were significantly associated with higher worries concerning lockdown. Measurement invariance of the FCV-19S showed no differences with respect to age or gender. The Bangla version of FCV-19S is a valid and reliable tool with robust psychometric properties which will be useful for researchers carrying out studies among the Bangla speaking population in assessing the psychological impact of fear from COVID-19 infection during this pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Facebook is a popular social networking site in themodern world. It has an adverse effect such as impairing daily health and psychological health and also interpersonal relationships when the use becomes problematic. Aims: To examine problematic Facebook use (PFU) and its predictors among Bangladeshi students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among 601 Bangladeshi students and collected data related to socio-demographic information, behavioral health, internet use behavior, depression, anxiety and problematic Facebook use [assessed using the Bergen Facebook Addiction Scale (BFAS)]. The data were analyzed using descriptive (frequencies and percentages) and inferential statistics (independent sample t-tests, one-way ANOVAs, correlations, and multivariable linear regression). Results: The results indicated that 29.1% of participants were problematic Facebook users (using cutoff =18 out of 30). Medical college students had higher mean score on PFU than other students (p < 0.001). In addition, the mean score of PFU was significantly higher among the students who were in a relationship (p = 0.001), did not engage in physical activity (p < 0.001), used the internet more than 5 h per day (p < 0.001), used social media (p < 0.001), and had depression or anxiety symptoms (p < 0.001). PFU was significantly associated with depression and anxiety among the whole sample. Predictive factors for PFU included relationship status, daily internet use time, gaming, social media use, depression, and anxiety. The model predicted almost 33.2% variance for PFU. Conclusions: Findings suggest interventions should be implemented for students with a special focus on medical students who had higher score of PFU than other types of students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In a densely populated country like Bangladesh, mental health-related burden and associated adverse outcomes are quite prevalent. However, exploration of sleep-related issues in general, and more specifically of insomnia during the COVID-19 pandemic has been scarce and restricted to a single location. The present study investigated the prevalence of insomnia and its predictive factors in the general population, and included Geographic Information System (GIS) analysis to identify regional heterogeneities of insomnia in Bangladesh.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted during the early period of the COVID-19 pandemic. Information related to socio-demographics, knowledge of COVID-19, behaviors related to COVID-19, fear of COVID-19, and insomnia were included in a questionnaire, and coupled with GIS-based spatial analysis to identify regional susceptibility to insomnia.Results: Approximately 30.4%, 13.1% and 2.8% of participants reported sub-threshold, moderate, and severe forms of insomnia, respectively. Independent predictive risk factors of insomnia symptoms included female gender, college education, urban residence, presence of comorbidities, using social media, taking naps during daytime, and fear of COVID-19. District-wide variations in the spatial distribution of fear of COVID-19 and insomnia were significantly associated.Conclusion: Insomnia is frequently present during a pandemic, and exhibits regional variability along with multifactorial determinants. These analytic approaches should enable improved detection and targeting of at-risk sectors of the population, and enable implementation of appropriate measures to ensure improved sleep quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The present study is the first investigating unexplored psychological issues of university entrance test‐taking students in Bangladesh. Design and Methods: This cross‐sectional study investigates suicidal behaviors and their socio‐demographic, admission test‐related, and psychopathological risk factors among a total of 911‐Bangladeshi university entrance test‐takers. Findings: About 17.7% of the participants report suicidal thoughts, whereas it is 8.0% and 2.5% for suicide plans and suicide attempts, respectively. Significantly higher suicidal thought is observed in the repeat test‐taking students compared to the first‐time test‐takers (20.7% vs. 14.6%, χ2 = 5.669, p = 0.017), though the suicide plan and suicide attempt are not associated with student status. The suicidal thought risk factors include female gender, urban residence, satisfaction with the mock test, mental disorders etc. Practical Implications: The present findings warrant implementing initiatives for this suicide‐prone cohort, especially for the test‐failing students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Getting admission into a university is highly competitive globally and can be regarded as a mental stressor for some individuals. In Bangladesh, most of the universities allow students to repeat the test, whereas repeat test-taking students are supposed to suffer from psychological issues like burnout because of academic non-achievement in their first attempt. But there is no prior study assessing burnout to the population, which was investigated herein. A cross-sectional study was carried out among a total of 911 Bangladeshi university entrance test-taking students (i.e., 49.5% first-time test-takers). The survey measures included socio-demographics, admission-related issues, and mental health problems (depression, anxiety, and burnout). Of the mental health problems, depression, anxiety, and burnout were assessed by the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD-7), and Maslach Burnout Inventory—Student Survey (MBI–SS), respectively. In light of two-dimensional and three-dimensional cutoff schemes of the MBI—SS, about 43.7% and 17.3% of the test-taking students, respectively, were classified to be burnout in the total sample. Additionally, 48.1%, 71.4%, and 49.1% of the students in the total sample reported higher emotional exhaustion, higher cynicism, and lower academic efficacy, respectively. In respect to the student status, two-dimensional burnout (48.0% vs. 39.2%; χ2 = 7.164, p = 0.007), and emotional exhaustion (52.2% vs. 43.9%, χ2 = 6.789, p = 0.034) were significantly higher among the repeat test-taking students. Satisfaction with previous mock tests, depression, and anxiety were the associated factors of burnout in all three samples. Based on the present study, it can be concluded that the university entrance test appearing students are highly prevalent to burnout, and the rate increases with academic non-achievement. As the first study assessing burnout to the population, the findings are anticipated to be helpful for policymaking and further studies both inside and outside Bangladesh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Although depression has adverse effects on all aspects of university students' quality of life, fewer studies have been conducted in Bangladesh; which was investigated herein. Design and Methods: A cross‐sectional study was carried out among 1844 students enrolled at the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. Hierarchical regression analyses were performed to investigate the explanatory power of the variables predicting depression in this population. Findings: Depression prevalence was 28.7%; and female gender, first‐year student status, substance use, past‐year physical and psychological illness, stressful life events, family psychiatric history, and personal suicidal behaviors were the main risk factors. The final model considering all the studied variables explained 23.5% of the variance in depression. Practical Implications: Effective psychological help services, awareness and intervention programs, and so on, should be implemented to reduce students' psychological burdens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessing individuals' knowledge and preventive behaviors towards the Coronavirus Disease of 2019 (COVID-19) is essential for the related public health surveillance strategies. Although some of the studies were conducted in Bangladesh, none of these studies considered the geographical distribution of knowledge and preventive behaviors towards COVID-19. Therefore, the present nationwide cross-sectional study with 10,067 samples for the first-time aims to assess the knowledge gap by presenting the geographical distribution of the COVID-19 knowledge and preventive behaviors across all administrative districts of Bangladesh. The measures included socio-demographics and questions about knowledge and preventive behaviors related to COVID-19. One-way ANOVA, independent t-test, and multiple linear regression were used to analyze the data. In addition, GIS-based mapping identified district-wise distribution of the outcomes. Results indicated that the overall mean score of knowledge related to COVID-19 was 14.363 ± 3.073, whereas 16.95 ± 2.89 was for preventive behaviors. Participants' being male, being divorced or widowed, consuming alcohol, smoking cigarettes, living in villages, and having no formal education reported lower performing preventive COVID-19 behaviors. Those participants with higher knowledge scores reported higher preventive COVID-19 behaviors (β = 0.053, p<0.001). However, the model predicted only 13.2% of the variation in preventive COVID-19 behaviors while the overall model being significant. The findings suggest that the Bangladeshi government should initiate appropriate far-reaching program of health education focusing on knowledge and preventive behaviors towards COVID-19 at a community level. After all, the strategies to combat COVID-19 will require individuals' involvement to control and prevent the disease outbreak, for which education is essential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As with other countries worldwide, lockdown measures during the COVID-19 outbreak in Bangladesh were sudden and unexpected, and have the capacity to elicit serious psychological consequences. The present study examined the psychological consequences of COVID-19 in Bangladesh during the lockdown period.Methods: A nationwide online cross-sectional survey study recruited 10,067 individuals covering all 64 districts in Bangladesh via social media (April 1-10, 2020). The survey comprised questions concerning socio-demographics, knowledge of COVID-19, behavior towards COVID-19, fear of COVID-19, insomnia, depression, and suicidal ideation. Logistic regression and structural equation modeling (SEM) analyses were performed to identify the risk factors depression and suicidal ideation. Geographical information system (GIS)-based spatial analysis was used to identify district-wise susceptibility to depression and suicidal ideation.Findings: The prevalence rate of depression and suicidal ideation related to COVID-19 was 33% and 5%%. Common risk factors for suicidal ideation and depression included being young, being female, being a cigarette smoker, having comorbid diseases, having high scores on the Fear COVID-19 Scale, and having insomnia symptoms. GIS-based maps detected high depression and suicidal ideation in the capital of Bangladesh and the districts near the capital as well as coastal areas where COVID-19 prevalence was high, as compared with districts with no reported cases.Limitations: Self-reported scales and cross-sectional design of the study.Conclusion: COVID-19 is associated with major psychological impact across Bangladesh, underlining the need of strategically located psychological support measures and improved access to mental health services, especially among women and younger people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Emotional and behavioral problems among adolescents is a global concern. Previous studies conducted in Bangladesh have highlighted the importance to effectively prevent and address emotional and behavioral problems among adolescents to improve their psychological well-being. Despite these efforts, there remains limited research specifically addressing emotional and behavioral problems, conduct disorders, hyperactivity/attention disorders, and peer relationship problems among adolescents in Bangladesh in terms of age, gender, grade, and location. To address this knowledge gap, the present study aimed to comprehensively investigate the prevalence of emotional and behavioral problems among school-going adolescents in Bangladesh., Methods: The study employed a two-stage stratified cluster sampling technique to recruit a total of 1496 participants. The socio-demographic characteristics of the participants, such as age, gender, grade, location, birth order, family type, monthly family income, and parental education were collected. Emotional and behavioral problems were assessed using the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), while the chi-square test and logistic regression were used to analyze the data with STATA software., Results: The prevalence of emotional disorder was 9.09% (7.73 - 10.65%). The rate was 21.72% (19.70 - 23.88%) for conduct disorder, 6.21% (5.09 - 7.55%) for hyperactivity, and for peer-relationship problem, the rate was 15.10% (13.37 - 17.01%) among adolescents. Overall, gender, grade, location, monthly family income, and parental education were significantly associated with emotional and behavioral problems. More specifically, adolescent girls (OR = 2.90 for the emotional disorder), grade (8th: OR = 2.07, 9th: OR = 1.95, for the emotional disorder), urban residents (OR = 2.46, for conduct disorder; OR = 2.29, for hyperactivity; OR = 2.03, for peer-relationship problem), poor monthly family income (OR = 2.84, for peer-relationship problem) significantly increased the risk of psychiatric morbidity., Conclusion: The study highlights the need for school-based intervention programs to address adolescent emotional and behavioral problems. By targeting vulnerable individuals, these programs can effectively reduce mental health problems among adolescents., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany.)

Competing Interests: We declare no competing interests.

University entrance test-takers are a vulnerable group of students transitioning from adolescence to youth, a peak time for adopting unhealthy behaviors. However, limited studies investigate substance use behaviors among this group. This study aimed to investigate the current (past 12 months) prevalence, associated risk factors, and geographic distribution of substance use behaviors, employing spatial analysis to identify regional disparities. A cross-sectional study was conducted utilizing convenience sampling in February 2024 among university entrance test-takers at Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka, Bangladesh (N = 1485). Participants provided information on socio-demographics, admission-related, depression (PHQ-9), anxiety (GAD-7), and substance use. Chi-square tests and logistic regression were employed to explore significant associations, with spatial analysis using ArcGIS to map substance use across districts. About 20.8% reported smoking, 10.1% reported drug use, and 9.9% reported alcohol consumption over the past 12 months. Males exhibited higher rates of smoking (23.1% vs. 17.6%) and alcohol consumption (10% vs. 9.7%), while females reported slightly higher rates of drug use (10.2% vs. 10%). Being female (AOR = 0.56; 95% CI: 0.40-0.79; p = 0.001), living in rural areas (AOR = 0.68; 95% CI: 0.49-0.94; p = 0.020), having a higher monthly family income (AOR = 1.72; 95% CI: 1.01-2.91; p = 0.042), a history of physical illness (AOR = 2.65; 95% CI: 1.87-3.76; p < 0.001), being a repeat test-taker (AOR = 1.49; 95% CI: 1.08-2.05; p = 0.014), and satisfaction with previous mock tests (AOR = 1.66; 95% CI: 1.20-2.28; p = 0.002) were significant risk factors for smoking. For drug use, belonging to a joint family (AOR = 1.71; 95% CI: 1.08-2.71; p = 0.021), having a history of physical illness (AOR = 2.57; 95% CI: 1.64-4.02; p < 0.001), and satisfaction with previous mock tests (AOR = 1.84; 95% CI: 1.20-2.83; p = 0.005) increased the risk. Additionally, a history of physical illness (AOR = 5.12; 95% CI: 3.27-8.02; p < 0.001) and satisfaction with previous mock tests (AOR = 1.78; 95% CI: 1.13-2.80; p = 0.013) were contributing factors to alcohol consumption. Spatial analyses indicated higher rates of substance use in border districts. The findings warrant targeted interventions, such as mental health support and substance use prevention programs, particularly in high-risk regions. By understanding the factors driving substance use, tailored strategies can be developed to reduce risk behaviors among university entrance test-takers, ultimately enhancing public health outcome in this vulnerable population., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

This study focuses on Bangladeshi university entrance test-taking students mental health problems and explores the geographical distribution of these problems using GIS technique. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1523 university entrance test-taking students. Data were collected on participants' socio-demographic characteristics, COVID-19-related factors, admission tests, depression, and anxiety. Chi-square tests and logistic regression were performed using SPSS software. GIS mapping was used to visualize the distribution of mental health problems across districts using ArcGIS. The study found that the prevalence rates of depression and anxiety among university entrance examinees were 53.8% and 33.2%, respectively. Males exhibited higher rates of depression and anxiety compared to females, while repeat test-taking students were more susceptible to these mental health issues compared to first-time test-takers. Factors such as urban residence, personal/familial COVID-19 infections, and COVID-19 deaths in close relationships were associated with increased mental health problems. District-based distribution showed no significant variation in depression, but anxiety varied significantly. Post-hoc GIS analysis revealed variations in the distribution of depression and anxiety among males, as well as variations in anxiety distribution based on student status across districts. This study emphasizes the high prevalence of depression and anxiety among university entrance examinees, emphasizing the importance of addressing mental health risks in this population. It also suggests the need for reforms in the university entrance test-taking system to reduce psychological problems and advocates for a more inclusive approach to student admissions to alleviate mental health burdens., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: The surge in digital media consumption, coupled with the ensuing consequences of digital addiction, has witnessed a rapid increase, particularly after the initiation of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite some studies exploring specific technological addictions, such as internet or social media addiction, in Bangladesh, there is a noticeable gap in research focusing on digital addiction in a broader context. Thus, this study aims to investigate digital addiction among students taking the university entrance test, examining its prevalence, contributing factors, and geographical distribution using GIS techniques., Methods: Data from a cross-sectional survey were collected from a total of 2,157 students who were taking the university entrance test at Jahangirnagar University, Bangladesh. A convenience sampling method was applied for data collection using a structured questionnaire. Statistical analyses were performed with SPSS 25 Version and AMOS 23 Version, whereas ArcGIS 10.8 Version was used for the geographical distribution of digital addiction., Results: The prevalence of digital addiction was 33.1% (mean score: 16.05 ± 5.58). Those students who are attempting the test for a second time were more likely to be addicted (42.7% vs. 39.1%), but the difference was not statistically significant. Besides, the potential factors predicted for digital addiction were student status, satisfaction with previous mock tests, average monthly expenditure during the admission test preparation, and depression. No significant difference was found between digital addiction and districts. However, digital addiction was higher in the districts of Manikganj, Rajbari, Shariatpur, and Chittagong Hill Tract areas, including Rangamati, and Bandarban., Conclusions: The study emphasizes the pressing need for collaborative efforts involving educational policymakers, institutions, and parents to address the growing digital addiction among university-bound students. The recommendations focus on promoting alternative activities, enhancing digital literacy, and imposing restrictions on digital device use, which are crucial steps toward fostering a healthier digital environment and balanced relationship with technology for students., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Bangladeshi university students are considered to be highly suicide-prone compared to other populations and cohorts. However, no prior epidemiological studies have assessed the suicidality (i.e., past-year suicidal ideation [SI], lifetime suicide plan [SP], and lifetime suicide attempt [SA]) among Bangladeshi students, including the variables such as past-year stressful life events and family mental health history. This is arguably a major knowledge gap in the country. Therefore, the present study investigated the prevalence and associated risk factors for suicidal behaviors among Bangladeshi university students., Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted utilizing a convenience sampling method among a total of 1844 university students between October and November 2019. Data were collected based on the information related to socio-demographics, perceived health-related questions, past-year stressful life events, family mental health history, and suicidal behaviors (i.e., SI, SP, and SA). Chi-square tests and binary logistic regressions were used to analyze the data utilizing SPSS statistical software., Results: The prevalence of past-year suicidal ideation, lifetime suicide plans, and suicide attempts were 13.4%, 6.0%, and 4.4%, respectively. Females reported significantly higher suicidal behavior than males (i.e., 20.6% vs.10.2% SI; 9% vs. 4.6% SP; and 6.4% vs.3.6% SA). Risk factors for SI were being female, year of academic study, residing in an urban area, using psychoactive substances, experiencing both past year physical and mental illness, experiencing any type of stressful past-year life events, experiencing campus ragging (i.e., senior students abusing, humiliating and/or harassing freshers or more junior students), experiencing family mental illness history, and having family suicide attempt history. SP was associated with several factors including being female, year of academic study, using psychoactive substance, experiencing both past-year physical and mental illness, and experiencing any type of stressful past-year life events. Risk factors for SA were being female, year of academic study, using psychoactive substances, experiencing past-year mental illness, experiencing any type of stressful past-year life events, and having family suicide attempt history., Conclusions: University students appear to be a vulnerable group for experiencing suicidal behaviors. The present findings warrant rigorous action and early intervention programs such as counseling and other mental health professional services by university authorities. Longitudinal studies are highly recommended involving countrywide representative samples., Competing Interests: The authors of the research work do not have any conflict of interest.