COVID-19 Pandemic Exacerbates Suicide Ideation: Research Highlights Vulnerable Groups

Strategic Insights -

Researchers at the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center conducted a study to investigate the associations between sociodemographic characteristics and COVID-19 experiences with suicide ideation (SI) during the pandemic. The study focused on a sample of 837 adults, with a mean age of 37.1 years, who completed an online survey in August-September 2020. The researchers found that 28% of participants reported SI, and certain sociodemographic characteristics and COVID-19 factors were significantly associated with SI.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study found that 28% of participants (234 individuals) reported SI, highlighting the significant burden of mental health issues during the pandemic.
  • Seven sociodemographic characteristics, including younger age, lower income, single relationship status, and non-heterosexual orientation, were identified as risk factors for SI.
  • Six COVID-19 factors, such as not engaging in protective behaviors, receiving mental health treatment due to the pandemic, and socializing during the pandemic, were also associated with SI.
  • The study's findings emphasize the need for multidisciplinary research and intervention work to address the mental health concerns of vulnerable populations during and after the pandemic.
  • The investigators employed a combination of traditional (logistic regression) and machine learning (LASSO and random forest) methods to evaluate the associations between sociodemographic characteristics, COVID-19 factors, and SI.
  • Researchers highlighted the importance of considering the intersectionality of sociodemographic characteristics and pandemic experiences when developing strategies to prevent adverse mental health outcomes.

Statistics:

  • 28.0% of participants (234 individuals) reported SI, indicating a significant burden of mental health issues during the pandemic.
  • The study analyzed 148 sociodemographic and pandemic-specific factors in association with SI.
  • Logistic regression identified 20 items significantly associated with SI, which were used to train LASSO and random forest models to identify the most pertinent factors.
  • The LASSO model identified seven sociodemographic characteristics and six COVID-19 factors associated with SI.
  • Random forest findings were largely consistent with LASSO results.

Sources:

  • Dolsen, E. A. et al. (2022). Identifying correlates of suicide ideation during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional analysis of 148 sociodemographic and pandemic-specific factors. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 156, 186–193.
  • Pergamon-elsevier Science Ltd. (Publisher contact information for the Journal of Psychiatric Research): The Boulevard, Langford Lane, Kidlington, Oxford OX5 1GB, England.