Suicidal behaviour among caregivers of patients with severe mental illness in Debre Tabor Comprehensive Specialized Hospital Northwest, Ethiopia, 2024: A facility-based Cross-sectional study

Abstract

The impact of severe mental illness is challenging for the patients and the caregivers so the assessment of suicide risk in individuals with severe mental illness caregivers is currently inconsistent in Ethiopia. To assess suicidal behaviour and its associated factors among caregivers of patients with severe mental illness at Debre tabor compressive specialized hospital, Debre Tabor, Northwest, Ethiopia, 2024. A Cross-sectional study was conducted at Debre Tabor Compressive Specialized Hospitals between April 30 and May 30, 2024. A systematic random sampling technique was used to select 384 study participants, and a Suicidal Behaviour Questionnaire Revised was used to assess suicidal behaviour over the past 12 months. Epicollect5 was used to collect data, which were then exported to the SPSS-25 for analysis. Variables with a P-value <0.25 were considered candidates for the multivariate logistic regression analysis. The odds ratios with a 95% confidence interval were used to determine the strength of the association. The Prevalence of suicidal behaviour was 24.2% (95%CI: 11.1, 29.3). Multivariate analysis showed that being female (AOD = 2.63, 95%CI: 1.92–5.75), Divorced/widowed (AOD = 2.23, 95%CI:1.78–6.30), Chronic medical illness (AOD = 1.94, 95%CI = 1.43–3.45), Poor social support (AOD = 2.61, 95%CI:1.39–4.05), Depression (AOD = 2.03, 95%CI: 0.79–5.17), Anxiety (AOD = 1.93, 95%CI:1.32–6.99), and perceived stigma (AOD = 2.59, 95%CI:1.85–4.64) were negatively associated with suicidal behaviour. Suicidal behaviour was found to be high among care givers of patients with severe mental illness in Debre tabor Ethiopia and being female, divorced/widowed, chronic medical illness, poor social support, depression, anxiety, and perceived stigma were factors contributed to suicidal behaviour.