Authors
Seungbin Oh, Ryemi Do, Soyeon Kim, Sasha Zhou
Published in
American journal of public health. Volume 116. Issue 8. Pages 1104-1115.
Abstract
Objectives. To examine associations of online space usage time and online harassment with suicidal ideation among US college students, focusing on gender disparities. Methods. We analyzed data from the 2023-2024 Healthy Minds Study (n = 104 729), a national survey of college student mental health. Analyses were restricted to students randomized to the digital behavior module (n = 46 914). Multivariable logistic regressions were conducted using complete-case data, with analytic samples varying by model. All models adjusted for depressive symptoms, sleep duration, and sociodemographic covariates. Results. Both higher time online and online harassment were independently associated with increased odds of suicidal ideation. Compared with those reporting less than 1 hour per day online, students reporting 1 to 3 hours (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.29) and more than 3 hours a day online (AOR = 1.45) had elevated risk. Online harassment nearly doubled the odds (AOR = 1.77). Among cisgender males, associations were stronger for time online (AOR = 1.76-1.97) and online harassment (AOR = 1.91). Conclusions. Digital exposure, particularly among cisgender males, may represent a modifiable risk factor for suicidal ideation, underscoring the need for gender-responsive suicide prevention efforts in digital spaces. (Am J Public Health. 2026;116(8):1104-1115. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2026.308576).
PMID:
42456107
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 16 Jul 2026.
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