Abstract
This study aimed to assess the association between suicidal ideation among mothers living with HIV in Zimbabwe and the cognitive development of their children. Participants were mother–child dyads recruited from two rural districts in Zimbabwe. Data were collected at baseline and 12 months follow-up. Suicidal ideation was assessed using item-10 from the Edinburgh postnatal depression scale. Mixed-effects linear regression was used to assess the association of child cognitive outcomes at follow-up (using the Mullen scales of early learning) with maternal suicidal ideation. Mothers with suicidal ideation at baseline (n = 171) tended to be younger, unmarried, experienced moderate to severe hunger, had elevated parental stress and depression symptoms compared with non-suicidal mothers (n = 391). At follow-up, emerging maternal suicidal ideation was associated with poorer child cognitive outcomes (adjusted mean difference − 6.1; 95% CI − 10.3 to − 1.8; p = 0.03). Suicidal ideation affects child cognitive development and should be addressed, particularly in HIV positive mothers.
Highlights
Suicidal ideation may precede suicide planning and attempted suicide and is a distressing psychological phenomenon, indicative of low mood and poor quality of life [1]
Despite advances in HIV treatment, suicidality, remains elevated for people living with HIV (PLWH) in comparison with their HIV negative counterparts [2]
Another study investigating predictive models for suicidal ideation and attempted suicide among women living with HIV in the US found that AIDS diagnosis, physical or sexual abuse, unemployment, and children were all significant predictors of suicide ideation and attempts [12]
Summary
Suicidal ideation may precede suicide planning and attempted suicide and is a distressing psychological phenomenon, indicative of low mood and poor quality of life [1]. Despite advances in HIV treatment, suicidality (which includes suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, and completed suicides), remains elevated for people living with HIV (PLWH) in comparison with their HIV negative counterparts [2]. Risk factors for suicidal ideation in PLWH in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) include younger age [3, 4], being unmarried and depression [4, 5]. Increased negative life events and the associated stress in addition to food insecurity all increased the risk of suicidality in studies from Uganda, Peru, and Ethiopia [9,10,11]. Another study investigating predictive models for suicidal ideation and attempted suicide among women living with HIV in the US found that AIDS diagnosis, physical or sexual abuse, unemployment, and children were all significant predictors of suicide ideation and attempts [12]
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