The Magnitude of Suicidal Behavior among People Living with Diabetes Mellitus Attending an Outpatient Department of Alamata General Hospital, Mekelle, Tigray, Ethiopia 2019: A Cross-Sectional Study

Globally, suicide accounts for 75% in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). Though the magnitude of suicidal behavior in High-income Countries (HIC) is higher relative to the general population, limited studies had explored suicidal behavior among medical outpatients in LMICs including this locality. Suicidal behaviors among people with the chronic medical illness are one of the commonest psychiatric emergencies that demand a major health concern by researchers and mental health task forces. People with chronic medical illnesses show suicidal ideation and attempt which are fatal problems to end life. Therefore, this study will address the gaps by determining the magnitude of suicidal behavior among Diabetes Mellitus (DM) patients in an outpatient setting of Alamata General Hospital (AGH).

Institutional based cross-sectional study was conducted among medical patients attending a chronic care clinic in Alamata general Hospital from May to June 2019. A sample of 146 DM patients who were attending an outpatient chronic care clinic was included in the study. Suicidal behavior was assessed by the World Health Organization (WHO) suicidal behavior assessment through software called Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) Version 25.

The magnitude of suicidal behavior among Diabetes Mellitus patients at AGH was 30.8%, 15.8% had suicidal ideation, 14.4% had a suicidal attempt and 15.1% of them had the plan to commit suicide.

The prevalence of suicidal behavior was found to be significantly high in Diabetes Mellitus patients. Hence, it is important to conduct more interventions to assess the suicidal behavior symptoms among Diabetes Mellitus patients.