Abstract
BackgroundSuicidal ideation and attempts are more frequent in people with epilepsy than in general population and suicide attempt increases the chance of later completed suicide. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and associated factors of suicidal ideation and attempt among people with epilepsy in Amanuel Mental Specialized Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.MethodsInstitution-based cross-sectional study was conducted from May to June 2014 at Amanuel Mental Specialized Hospital among people with epilepsy. The pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire was used for interviewing the study participants. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess predictors of suicidal ideation and attempt.ResultsThe study indicated that the prevalence of suicidal ideation and attempt among people with epilepsy were 29.8 and 14.1%, respectively. Poor social support, drug treatment for mental illness, had co-morbid depression, no seizure free within 1 year and family history committed suicide were significantly associated with suicidal ideation and attempt.ConclusionThe prevalence of suicidal ideation and attempt in people with epilepsy found to be higher when compared to general population. Therefore, screening all epilepsy patients should be done for early diagnosis and treatment.
Highlights
Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, fifth edition (DSM-5) defines suicidal ideation as thoughts about self-harm with deliberate consideration or planning of possible techniques of causing one’s own death, while suicide is the act of intentionally causing one’s own death and suicide attempt is an attempt to end one’s own life, which may lead to one’s death [1]
People living with epilepsy (≥ 18 year) who have been clinically diagnosed with epilepsy and had follow-up treatment in outpatient epilepsy clinic in the Amanuel Mental Specialized Hospital were included in the study
The current study found that the prevalence of lifetime suicidal attempt among people with epilepsy was 14.1% which is closely consistent with many other reports in Egypt (11.5%) [12], Croatia (14.6%) [25], and Brazil (12.1%) [26]
Summary
Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, fifth edition (DSM-5) defines suicidal ideation as thoughts about self-harm with deliberate consideration or planning of possible techniques of causing one’s own death, while suicide is the act of intentionally causing one’s own death and suicide attempt is an attempt to end one’s own life, which may lead to one’s death [1]. Some persons may have ideas of suicide, but they will never act on. Fifty percent of all violent deaths in men and 71% of women were accounted for suicides globally. Suicide rates are highest in persons aged 70 and older years for both men and women in almost all regions of the world [3]. More than 800,000 people die due to suicide (one person every 40 s) ranking as the second leading cause of death next to traffic accidents among 15–29 years of age [3]. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and associated factors of suicidal ideation and attempt among people with epilepsy in Amanuel Mental Specialized Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
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