Abstract

Background: The mental health of college students, especially those in pre-medical and pre-engineering disciplines, is increasingly concerning due to academic pressures and sedentary behavior, which can lead to suicidal ideation (SI).Objective: This study aimed to examine the prevalence and association between sedentary behavior and SI among pre-medical and pre-engineering college students.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 200 students (100 pre-medical, 100 pre-engineering) from Government Degree College, Booni, Gilgit-Baltistan, using self-reported measures. Physical activity was assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), and SI was evaluated with the Adult Suicide Ideation Questionnaire (ASIQ). Data analysis included descriptive statistics and independent t-tests using IBM SPSS Statistics version 25.Results: Pre-medical students showed higher sedentary behavior (59% high activity) and SI rates (52% minimal risk, 34% low risk, 12% moderate risk, 2% high risk) compared to pre-engineering students, who had 74% high physical activity and 91% minimal risk SI. Significant differences were found in physical activity (t(200) = -3.45, p < .05) and SI (t(200) = 5.83, p < .05) between groups.Conclusion: Promoting physical activity may protect against SI among college students, particularly those in high-pressure academic disciplines.