Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38989386›Full record

ArticleCureus2024

The Impact of COVID-19 on Suicidal Behavior in King Abdulaziz Medical City in Saudi Arabia.

Meshal R Alotaibi, Ibrahim A Alsuwailem, Khalid Alsultan, Khalid S Alwasem, Ziad S AlSaadi, Hatim Assiri, Laila Layqah, Joharah Almubrad, Noura Gammash, Reem Al-Qahtani and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Cureus, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Meshal R AlotaibiAdult Mental Health, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, SAU.
Ibrahim A AlsuwailemAdult Mental Health, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, SAU.
Khalid AlsultanAdult Mental Health, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, SAU.
Khalid S AlwasemPsychiatry, Prince Mutaib Bin Abdulaziz Hospital, Sakaka, SAU.
Ziad S AlSaadiChild and Adolescent Psychiatry, King Abdullah Specialist Children Hospital, Riyadh, SAU.
Hatim AssiriAdult Mental Health, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, SAU.
Laila LayqahResearch, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Riyadh, SAU.
Joharah AlmubradPsychiatry, Mental Health, Ministry of the National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, SAU.
Noura GammashPsychiatry, Mental Health, Ministry of the National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, SAU.
Reem Al-QahtaniInternal Medicine, King Khalid University, Abha, SAU.
Meshal AlaqeelMental Health, Ministry of the National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, SAU.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a global increase in mental health issues, including suicidal behaviors. This study focuses on assessing the impact of the pandemic on the prevalence and characteristics of suicidal behavior at King Abdulaziz Medical City in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

methodsA retrospective cohort study was conducted on 580 patients from January 2017 to December 2022, focusing on those aged 18 and above referred for suicide evaluation. Data were collected via chart reviews and analyzed using Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS, version 25; IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Armonk, NY).

resultsOur study reviewed 580 patient charts, with 555 (95.7%) meeting the inclusion criteria. The majority of participants were in the 18-29 age group (66.7%). We observed an increase in the number of cases undergoing suicide attempt assessment post COVID-19, with 296 incidents (53.3%) from March 2020 to December 2022 (about a year and eight months), compared to 259 incidents (46.7%) from January 2017 to March 2020 (over three years). A significant post-pandemic increase was noted in individuals with secondary education or higher (p = 0.004). No significant changes were found in other demographic variables or in the profiles of individuals with an intention to end life before and after the pandemic.

conclusionThe study highlights the nuanced impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on suicidal behavior in Saudi Arabia, revealing an increased demand for suicide assessments, particularly among educated individuals. However, no corresponding increase was observed in the rate of high-intent suicidal cases or other significant variables. The findings underscore the complexity of factors influencing suicidal behavior during the pandemic and the need for targeted mental health interventions. Future research, ideally supported by a national database, is essential for a comprehensive understanding of suicidal behavior in Saudi Arabia.

Indexed as

covid-19emergency medical servicepsychiatry and mental healthsuicidal attemptssuicidal behavior

Identifiers

PMID38989386
PMCPMC11235406

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.