Magnitude Of Suicidal Ideation, Attempt And Associated Factors Among Hiv/Aids Patients Attending Antiretroviral Therapy Clinic At Public Health Facilities In Ambo Town, Ethiopia

Abstract

Background: Suicidal behaviors and Human Immune Virus infection have become series public health issues that have placed heavy burden on society. Suicidal ideation and attempts occur at high rate in patients with Human Immune Virus infections than in the general population; however, there was little information about these issues. Objective: To determine the magnitude of suicidal ideation, attempt, and associated factors among Human Immune Virus positive patients who were receiving Antiretroviral Therapy clinic at public health facilities in Ambo town, Ethiopia, 2022. Methods: Facility based cross-sectional study was conducted at public health facilities in Ambo town from September 1 to October 1, 2022 and 394 participants were chosen using a consecutive sampling technique. Data was collected via face to face interview using structured questionnaires and entered using Epi-Data version 4.6 and exported to Statistical package for social science version 26 to analyses data. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify factors associated to suicidal ideation and attempt. All variables that had a p-value < 0.25 in the bivariate analysis were considered as candidate for multivariate analysis and factors that had a p-value<0.05 were declared as significantly associated to outcome variables at a 95% confidence level. Result: Among a total of 394 patients living with Human Immune Virus infection who were participated in this study, 117 (29.7%) and 56 (14.2%) had suicidal ideation and attempt respectively. Human Immune Virus stage III (AOR=2.7, 95%CI: 1.03, 7.04 ) and stage IV (AOR=5.7, 95%CI:1.94, 16.9), opportunistic infection (AOR=6.5, 95%CI: 2.95, 14.2), depression (AOR=2.9, 95%CI: 1.4, 5.93), anxiety (AOR=7.8, 95%CI: 3.6, 16.8), family history of mental illness (AOR=7.0, 95%CI: 3.3, 14.7) and poor social support (AOR=3, 95%CI: 1.33, 6.7) were significantly associated to suicidal ideation, whereas; depression (AOR=2.2, 95%CI: 1.13, 4.5), opportunistic infection (AOR=3.8, 95%CI: 1.81, 7.9), family history of mental illness (AOR=4.8, 95%CI: 2.2, 10) and poor social support (AOR=3.6, 95%CI: 1.4, 9.65) were significantly associated to suicidal attempt. Conclusion and Recommendation: The magnitude of suicidal ideation and attempt among Human Immune Virus positive patients were remaining high. Therefore, early screening and addressing identified suicidal risk factors are essential to reduce the consequence of suicide in those people living with human immune virus infection.