Commuting Violence: A Public Health Concern Among Medical Students in Latin America

Abstract Introduction Violence is a global public health issue. Identifying the factors associated with commuting violence-defined as violence experienced by students while traveling between their university and other locations-represents a critical first step toward its prevention and mitigation of its academic and health-related consequences. Objectives To identify factors associated with commuting violence among medical students in Mexico and Colombia. Design An international multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted between February and April 2025, including medical students from universities in Veracruz, Mexico and Cali, Colombia. Results A total of 505 students participated (mean age: 20.83±2.5 years; 60% female; 95.2% cisgender; 85.7% heterosexual). Of these, 82.8% reported feeling unsafe during their commute, mainly due to suspicious individuals (89.7%) and deserted streets (85.7%). Additionally, 83.4% knew someone who had experienced commuting violence, with 60.8% identifying them as fellow students. Hearing about such incidents was significantly associated with self-perceived anxiety (OR 8.6; CI95% 2.68-28.01), stress (OR 8.8; CI95% 2.71-28.53), and paranoia (OR 3.14; CI95% 1.4-7.03). A total of 45% had been victims themselves, mostly reporting psychological violence (90.74%) and sexual harassment (75.3%), including 9 attempted (3.9%) and 3 completed rapes (1.3%). Victimization was linked to avoiding morning or late classes, absenteeism, and considering academic withdrawal (p < 0.05). Residing in Mexico was associated with a higher perception of insecurity (OR 5.05; CI95% 3.1-8.2), while living in Colombia was significantly associated with attempted (OR 5.5; CI95% 1.4-21.6) or completed rape (p < 0.05). Conclusions Commuting violence is a prevalent issue among university students with marked mental health and academic consequences, highlighting the urgent need for targeted public health interventions in academic and urban environments. Key messages • Commuting violence harms students’ mental health, increasing anxiety, stress, and academic disruption. • Public health must address urban safety to protect students during their daily university commute.