Department of Psychiatry, College of Health and Medical Sciences, Haramaya University, Harar, Ethiopia.
School of Public Health, College of Health and Medical Sciences, Haramaya University, Harar, Ethiopia.
PLoS One. 2023 Jun 27;18(6):e0287632. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0287632. eCollection 2023.
The coronavirus disease is still not under the control globally and has caused various mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, suicide, and aggressive behavior in different populations. The pandemic-related issues which are applied to control the pandemic such as protection measures against COVID-19, social distancing, isolation, and quarantine can also trigger mental health problems.
This study aimed to assess suicidal behavior and aggression, and its correlates during COVID-19 among populations within institutional quarantine and isolation centers in Ethiopia.
A cross-sectional study was conducted among a sample of 392 participants. The convenience sampling method was used to select the study participants. Suicide Behavioral Questionnaire-Revised (SBQ-R) and the Modified Overt Aggression Scale (MOAS)were applied to determine the suicide and aggressive behavior of study participants respectively. Epi-data 3.1 and SPSS 20.0were used to enter and analyze the data respectively. Logistic and linear regressions were fitted to explore correlates associated with suicidal behavior and aggression respectively.
The prevalence of suicidal behavior was 8.7% (95% CI: 6.1, 11.5) whereas the mean total score of behavioral aggression was 2.45±5.90 (95% CI: 1.84, 3.08). Being female (AOR = 2.63, 95% CI: 1.09, 6.32), having common mental disorders (AOR = 6.08, 95% CI: 2.32, 15.93), manifesting the symptoms of COVID-19 (AOR = 2.17, 95% CI: 1.48, 2.86), and poor social support (AOR = 7.30, 95% CI: 1.44, 37.10) were significantly associated with suicidal behavior, whereas male gender (β coefficient = 3.0, 95% CI: 1.35, 4.70), low level of knowledge about COVID-19 (β coefficient = 1.87, 95% CI: 1.09, 3.41), and substance use (β coefficient = 1.7, 95% CI: 1.23, 6.47) were positively associated with mean overt aggression score.
The present study revealed that suicidal and aggressive behaviors were prevalent with significant correlates. Therefore, it is important and required to provide focused mental health and psycho-social services for the selected and high-risk populations such as those in quarantine and isolation centers for being suspected.
全球范围内，新冠疫情仍未得到控制，并在不同人群中引发了各种心理健康问题，如抑郁、焦虑、自杀和攻击行为。为控制疫情而采取的疫情相关措施，如 COVID-19 防护措施、社交距离、隔离和检疫，也可能引发心理健康问题。
本研究旨在评估埃塞俄比亚机构隔离和检疫中心人群在 COVID-19 期间的自杀行为和攻击行为及其相关因素。
采用横断面研究方法，对 392 名参与者进行抽样。采用便利抽样法选择研究对象。自杀行为问卷修订版（SBQ-R）和改良外显攻击量表（MOAS）分别用于确定研究参与者的自杀和攻击行为。使用 Epi-data 3.1 和 SPSS 20.0 分别录入和分析数据。采用逻辑回归和线性回归分别探索与自杀行为和攻击行为相关的因素。
自杀行为的患病率为 8.7%（95%CI：6.1，11.5），而行为攻击的总平均得分为 2.45±5.90（95%CI：1.84，3.08）。女性（AOR=2.63，95%CI：1.09，6.32）、患有常见精神障碍（AOR=6.08，95%CI：2.32，15.93）、出现 COVID-19 症状（AOR=2.17，95%CI：1.48，2.86）和社会支持差（AOR=7.30，95%CI：1.44，37.10）与自杀行为显著相关，而男性（β系数=3.0，95%CI：1.35，4.70）、对 COVID-19 知识水平低（β系数=1.87，95%CI：1.09，3.41）和物质使用（β系数=1.7，95%CI：1.23，6.47）与外显攻击得分呈正相关。
本研究表明，自杀和攻击行为普遍存在，且存在显著相关因素。因此，为隔离和检疫中心等选定的高危人群提供有针对性的心理健康和心理社会服务是很重要且必要的。
