Abstract:
Background: Suicide is a worldwide public health problem, psychiatric emergency and more severe
health problem among patients living with human immune deficiency virus/ acquired immune
deficiency syndrome in comparison with the general population. However, in low and middle income
countries like Ethiopia, there is limited data on patient’s suicidal ideation and attempt and associated
factors among those patient.
Objectives: To determine prevalence and associated factors of suicidal ideation and attempt among
people living with human immune deficiency virus/ acquired immune deficiency syndrome at Jimma
University medical center, anti-retro viral clinic 2019.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from April 20 to June 20, 2019 at Jimma University
Medical Center antiretroviral therapy follow up clinic on 299 participants. Data was collected by
using suicide behavioral questionnaire. Participants were selected by using consecutive sampling
techniques. Data were entered into Epidata 3.1 and exported to Statistical package for social science
version 20 for analysis. Descriptive statics, bi-variate & multi-variate logistic regression analysis at
95% confidence interval were done. Statistical significance was declared at p-value of <0.05.
Result: A total of 299 participants were involved in this study with 100% response rate. In this study
prevalence of suicidal ideation and suicidal attempt were 20.1% and 8.0% respectively. Being
single[AOR=5.17, 95%CI(1.572,17.038)], substance ever use[AOR=2.49,95%CI(1.193,5.199)], no
self-stigma [AOR=0.08,95CI(0.032,0.202)] and poor social support[AOR=3.33,95%(1.384,7.998)]
were associated with suicidal ideation. Income status <749ETB [AOR=7.42, 95% CI (2.216, 24.858)],
substance ever use [AOR= 0.05,95%CI (0.010, 0.217)] and no self-stigma [AOR= 0.04,95
CI(0.005,0.292)] where associated with suicidal attempt.
Conclusion and recommendation: Around one fourth of the study participates suffer from suicidal
ideation and close to one tenth from suicidal attempt. Factors like being single, ever substance use,
self stigma, poor social support and low income were associated with suicidal ideation and attempt.
Therefore early screening and intervention for substance use, counseling for Self stigma and routinely
screening for suicidal ideation and attempt for patients with poor social support, low income and
single is recommended.
