Prevalence and risk factors of COVID-19 suicidal behavior in Bangladeshi population: are healthcare professionals at greater risk?

Abstract

Background: Current COVID-19 researches suggest that both general population and health-care providers (HCPs) are at risk of elevated psychological sufferings including suicidality. However, suicidality has not been addressed properly, although mental health problems are studied globally. Besides, the extreme fear of COVID-19 infection is being existed among the Bangladeshi HCPs, that is reported by a recent patients' suicide because of HCPs treatment negligence.

Methods: A web-based cross-sectional study was administered through the social media platforms. A total 3,388 respondents took part in the survey (mean age 30.1 ± 6.4 years) among them 834 were frontline HCPs (30.7 ± 5.6 years). The measures included socio-demographics, PPE-related and patient-care related information and a question concerned with the COVID-19 suicidal behavior.

Results: About 6.1% of the total participants had suicidal behavior, with no detectable differences within the groups (i.e., general population and HCPs). Regression analysis showed that being female, being divorced, and having no child were emerged as independent predictors for suicidality. There was no significant association between the PPE-related or patient-care related variables and suicidal behavior of the HCPs. Majority of the participants sometimes had fear of death although no significant relation of the factor was found with suicidality.

Limitations: The study can be limited because of its nature (i.e., cross-sectional self-reporting online survey) and not considering non-COVID-19 related suicide risk factors etc.

Conclusions: The present findings identified the substantial proportion of the HCPs and general population had COVID 19 related suicidal behavior. It can be used to advocate a large-scale suicide safety plan using a multidisciplinary approach herein.

Keywords: COVID-19 and suicide; Frontline worker's suicide; Health-care professional' suicide; Psychology; Public health; Suicidal behavior; Suicidal ideation; Suicide in Bangladesh.