Prevalence and factors associated with suicidal ideation and attempts among war-affected internally displaced people in northwest Ethiopia, 2022
2024

Suicidal Thoughts and Attempts Among Displaced People in Ethiopia

Sample size: 765 publication 10 minutes Evidence: high

Author Information

Author(s): Tadesse Gebresilassie, Gashaw Fanuel, Amare Zeleke Tadele, Fentahun Setegn, Yitayih Sewbesew

Primary Institution: University of Gondar, Ethiopia

Hypothesis

What is the prevalence and what factors are associated with suicidal ideation and attempts among war-affected internally displaced people in northwest Ethiopia?

Conclusion

At least one in five displaced people in this population had experienced suicidal ideation, and one in fifteen had attempted suicide.

Supporting Evidence

  • The prevalence of suicidal ideation was found to be 22.4%.
  • The prevalence of suicide attempts was found to be 6.7%.
  • Factors associated with suicidal ideation included female gender, depression, and poor social support.
  • Females had more than twice the odds of suicidal ideation compared to males.
  • Respondents with depression had approximately four times higher odds of suicidal ideation.

Takeaway

Many people who had to leave their homes in Ethiopia are feeling very sad and some are even thinking about hurting themselves or have tried to do so.

Methodology

A cross-sectional study design was conducted with 765 participants selected through simple random sampling and data collected via structured interviews.

Potential Biases

Potential biases include social desirability bias and recall bias regarding past events.

Limitations

The cross-sectional design limits causal inferences, and there may be social desirability and recall biases.

Participant Demographics

The study included 751 participants, with 67.1% female, a mean age of 34.34 years, and a majority being Orthodox Christians.

Statistical Information

P-Value

p<0.05

Confidence Interval

95% CI: 19.5%, 25.4%

Statistical Significance

p<0.05

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1192/bjo.2024.71

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