TY - JOUR
PY - 2021//
TI - COVID-19 pandemic: demographic and clinical correlates of passive death wish and thoughts of self-harm among Canadians
JO - Journal of mental health
A1 - Sapara, Adegboyega
A1 - Shalaby, Reham
A1 - Osiogo, Felix
A1 - Hrabok, Marianne
A1 - Gusnowski, April
A1 - Vuong, Wesley
A1 - Surood, Shireen
A1 - Urichuk, Liana
A1 - Greenshaw, Andrew J.
A1 - Agyapong, Vincent I. O.
SP - ePub
EP - ePub
VL - ePub
IS - ePub
N2 - BACKGROUND: Suicidal ideation can be triggered or exacerbated by psychosocial stressors including natural disasters and pandemics. AIMS: This study investigated prevalence rates and demographic and clinical correlates of self-reported passive death wishes and thoughts of self-harm among Canadians subscribing to Text4Hope; a daily supportive text message program.
METHODS: A survey link was sent out to Text4Hope subscribers. Demographic information was captured and clinical data collected using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7-item (GAD-7) scale, and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Data were analysed with descriptive analysis, the chi-square test, and logistic regression.
RESULTS: Responders showed an increase in prevalence rates for passive death wish and thoughts of self-harm compared to baseline Canadian statistics on suicidality. Responders aged ⩽25years, Indigenous, had less than high school education, unemployed, single, living with family, with increased anxiety, disordered sleep, and recent concerns about germs and contamination were at greatest risk.
CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that suicidal thoughts may have increased in the general population as a result of COVID-19 and signals an urgent need for public education on appropriate health seeking methods and increased access to mental and social support especially during the COVID-19 pandemic and its immediate aftermath. Language: en
LA - en
SN - 0963-8237
UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09638237.2021.1875417
ID - ref1
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