Gambling disorder as a risk factor for suicidal ideation in medical students

Although suicide rates among physicians have decreased, medical students remain at high risk for suicidal ideation. While poor mental health, including depression, burnout, and stress, are well-documented contributing factors, the role of behavioral addictions, particularly gambling disorder, remains underexplored. This study aims to identify risk and protective factors associated with recent suicidal ideation among second- to fourth-year medical students, including gambling disorder. An observational study was conducted among medical students at a French University, recruited in December 2021, 2022, and 2023 to compare empathy with or without a training program. Participants completed a battery of questionnaires, including the patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9) to assess depression and the Lie-Bet questionnaire for gambling. Suicidal ideation was screened with the 9th item of the PHQ-9. Data were collected on sociodemographic characteristics, mental health variables, and chronic illness. Participants were surveyed again at 6 months and 1, 2, and 3 years, with follow-up on-going. Here, we present baseline data on factors explaining recent suicidal ideation and in particular gambling disorder. Of 1,762 students invited, 966 consented to participate, and data from 775 students were analyzed. The prevalence of suicidal ideation was 15.9%. Students with probable gambling disorder had a significantly higher prevalence of suicidal ideation than those without gambling problems (34.8% vs. 15.3%, p = 0.0120). Multivariate analysis identified probable gambling disorder, anxiety, lower empathy and emotional dysregulation as independently associated with suicidal ideation. Probable gambling disorder, anxiety, and emotional dysregulation were key factors linked to suicidal ideation in medical students. Screening for gambling disorder and promoting emotional regulation strategies should be integrated into medical curricula to address these risks.