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; Meshal Alaqeel

doi:10.7759/cureus.62057

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

Cureus. 2024 Jun 10;16(6):e62057. doi: 10.7759/cureus.62057. eCollection 2024 Jun.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Adult Mental Health, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, SAU.
² Psychiatry, Prince Mutaib Bin Abdulaziz Hospital, Sakaka, SAU.
³ Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, King Abdullah Specialist Children Hospital, Riyadh, SAU.
⁴ Research, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Riyadh, SAU.
⁵ Psychiatry, Mental Health, Ministry of the National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, SAU.
⁶ Internal Medicine, King Khalid University, Abha, SAU.
⁷ Mental Health, Ministry of the National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, SAU.

Abstract

Introduction: During 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.

Methods: A 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).

Results: Our 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.

Conclusion: The 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.

Keywords: covid-19; emergency medical service; psychiatry and mental health; suicidal attempts; suicidal behavior.