Factors in the Prevalence of Suicidal Ideation Among Bereaved Women in Rural Communities, Imo State, Nigeria

Ann Ukachi Madukwe,Ngozi Nkwakaego Sydney-Agbor,Richards Ebireonwu Ebeh

doi:10.11648/j.ajpn.20210903.18

Ann Ukachi Madukwe, Ngozi Nkwakaego Sydney-Agbor + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajpn.20210903.18

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Abstract

This study investigated the prevalence of suicidal ideation and social support, number-of-children and age-at-bereavement as predictors of suicidal ideation among bereaved women. Respondents were 474 women who lost their spouses at least 6 months before the study, selected from rural communities in the three senatorial zones of Imo State via purposive sampling technique. Two validated questionnaires were administered to assess suicidal ideation and perceived social support, while number-of-children and age-at-bereavement were measured as continuous variables among respondents. The study adopted a cross sectional survey design and the generalized linear model statistics was employed for analyses with SPSS vs 21. The findings of the study showed that suicidal ideation was significantly prevalent. Social support and age-at-bereavement were found positive and negative relationship with suicidal ideation, they were also significant predictors of suicidal ideation. Number-of-children was found to have a minimal positive relationship with suicidal ideation, it did not predict suicidal ideation. The study recommends that suicidal ideation interventions for widows should always involve adequate assessment of their social support type not just level, and how old they were at the time of bereavement. The establishment of a community-based program of social support with accompanying suicide prevention counselling for widows was strongly recommended.

Highlights

Most empirical studies on suicide, suicide ideation, suicidal behaviour or attempt in Nigeria have been focused on adolescents and college students’ populations [1,2,3], individuals with chronic health conditions [4, 5], and in relation to Boko Haram bombings [6, 7]
Suicidal ideation varied across the communities and was found to be most prevalent among bereaved rural women from Orlu senatorial zone
For bereaved rural women this study has shown that suicidal ideation is a major concern

Summary

Introduction

Most empirical studies on suicide, suicide ideation, suicidal behaviour or attempt in Nigeria have been focused on adolescents and college students’ populations [1,2,3], individuals with chronic health conditions [4, 5], and in relation to Boko Haram bombings [6, 7]. Despite the many studies they reviewed, none was found that considered suicide or suicidal ideation among the bereaved (male or female) [10]. This strange observation is important especially since suicide has become a public health challenge and bereavement is usually linked to suicidal thoughts as one of major stressful life events. The incongruity is expected to be greater when factors that could influence the change

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