Psychosocial Factors Related to Attempted Suicide During COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Background: The likelihood of more suicide attempts and fatal suicides remains high due to the significant changes in lifestyle and pressures brought on by to COVID-19 pandemic. Public health initiatives during the COVID epidemic, including social exclusion, lockdown, and travel restrictions, have harmed mental health and increased the risk factors for suicide. The current study is done to pinpoint the socio-demographic and psychosocial risk factors for suicide and evaluate whether they significantly influenced the suicide attempts made during the COVID-19 epidemic.

Methodology: The present cross-sectional analytical study was conducted for the duration of 18 months among those who survived the suicide attempts. Socio-demographic and psychosocial factors were discussed to evaluate the suicide risk. The Beck’s suicide intent scale was used to assess the level of intent.

Result: Out of 90 patients, the majority had medium intent for suicide (60, 67%) and 18 (20%) had high intent for suicide. Suicide intent was equally present in both genders. Out of 27 study participants with loneliness, 37% had high intent for suicide and there was a significant association found between suicide intent and feeling of loneliness perceived by study participants. There was no association found for suicide intent and feelings of panic or fear of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Conclusion: In our study, participants who were unemployed were going through financial problems due to loss of wages during the lockdown period was significantly associated with suicide intent severity among study participants. Similarly, during the COVID-19 pandemic, people were suffering from loneliness, which was significantly associated with high intent on suicide scale in our study. Moreover, participants who had a history of past psychiatric illness during the pandemic were significantly associated with high intent for suicide on an intent scale in our study.