Suicidal Ideation Among Persons With Psychiatric Disorders: A Cross‐Sectional Study at Outpatient Clinics in Iraq

ABSTRACT Background and Aims Mental illness is an important risk factor for suicidal ideation. However, little has been known about the burden and associated factors of suicidal ideation among persons with psychiatric disorders in Iraq. We aim to investigate the rate and the associated demographic a...

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Main Authors: Maha Sulaiman Younis, Marwa Mohamed Kamal, S. M. Yasir Arafat
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-03-01
Series:Health Science Reports
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.70517
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author Maha Sulaiman Younis
Marwa Mohamed Kamal
S. M. Yasir Arafat
author_facet Maha Sulaiman Younis
Marwa Mohamed Kamal
S. M. Yasir Arafat
author_sort Maha Sulaiman Younis
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT Background and Aims Mental illness is an important risk factor for suicidal ideation. However, little has been known about the burden and associated factors of suicidal ideation among persons with psychiatric disorders in Iraq. We aim to investigate the rate and the associated demographic and clinical factors of suicidal ideation among persons with mental illness in Iraq. Methods Data were collected from 388 persons with mental disorders from psychiatric outpatient clinics in Baghdad in 2023 for this cross‐sectional study. The instrument contained socio‐demographic and clinical variables, and the Columbia‐Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C‐SSRS). A descriptive analysis was conducted using the Chi‐square test to determine the relationships in which a significance level of 0.05 was considered. Results Among the 388 respondents, 67% were males, and about half of the patients were younger than 40 years old. Affective (49.8%) and psychotic disorders (17.5%) were the most common mental disorders. The prevalence of suicidal ideation was 37.1% in the last year. The majority of suicidal ideation fell into a low severity range on the C‐SSRS, particularly for patients who had no prior history of suicidal behavior. Suicidal ideation was significantly associated with female gender, crowded accommodations experiencing recent psychological trauma, presence of a family history of mental disorder, and family history of suicidal behavior. Conclusions Suicidal ideation was present in more than one‐third of persons with psychiatric disorders. Policy‐level implications could be warranted during regular appointments of psychiatric patients to identify risky individuals in outpatient settings.
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spelling doaj-art-2c57856c3bc54c99b2ef2c5c08a66dff2025-08-20T02:54:10ZengWileyHealth Science Reports2398-88352025-03-0183n/an/a10.1002/hsr2.70517Suicidal Ideation Among Persons With Psychiatric Disorders: A Cross‐Sectional Study at Outpatient Clinics in IraqMaha Sulaiman Younis0Marwa Mohamed Kamal1S. M. Yasir Arafat2Department of Psychiatry College of Medicine, University of Baghdad Baghdad IraqThe Scientific Council of Psychiatry, The Iraqi Council of Medical Specializations Baghdad IraqDepartment of Psychiatry Bangladesh Specialized Hospital Dhaka BangladeshABSTRACT Background and Aims Mental illness is an important risk factor for suicidal ideation. However, little has been known about the burden and associated factors of suicidal ideation among persons with psychiatric disorders in Iraq. We aim to investigate the rate and the associated demographic and clinical factors of suicidal ideation among persons with mental illness in Iraq. Methods Data were collected from 388 persons with mental disorders from psychiatric outpatient clinics in Baghdad in 2023 for this cross‐sectional study. The instrument contained socio‐demographic and clinical variables, and the Columbia‐Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C‐SSRS). A descriptive analysis was conducted using the Chi‐square test to determine the relationships in which a significance level of 0.05 was considered. Results Among the 388 respondents, 67% were males, and about half of the patients were younger than 40 years old. Affective (49.8%) and psychotic disorders (17.5%) were the most common mental disorders. The prevalence of suicidal ideation was 37.1% in the last year. The majority of suicidal ideation fell into a low severity range on the C‐SSRS, particularly for patients who had no prior history of suicidal behavior. Suicidal ideation was significantly associated with female gender, crowded accommodations experiencing recent psychological trauma, presence of a family history of mental disorder, and family history of suicidal behavior. Conclusions Suicidal ideation was present in more than one‐third of persons with psychiatric disorders. Policy‐level implications could be warranted during regular appointments of psychiatric patients to identify risky individuals in outpatient settings.https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.70517cross‐sectional studyIraqoutpatient psychiatric clinicprevalencepsychiatric disorderssuicidal ideation
spellingShingle Maha Sulaiman Younis
Marwa Mohamed Kamal
S. M. Yasir Arafat
Suicidal Ideation Among Persons With Psychiatric Disorders: A Cross‐Sectional Study at Outpatient Clinics in Iraq
Health Science Reports
cross‐sectional study
Iraq
outpatient psychiatric clinic
prevalence
psychiatric disorders
suicidal ideation
title Suicidal Ideation Among Persons With Psychiatric Disorders: A Cross‐Sectional Study at Outpatient Clinics in Iraq
title_full Suicidal Ideation Among Persons With Psychiatric Disorders: A Cross‐Sectional Study at Outpatient Clinics in Iraq
title_fullStr Suicidal Ideation Among Persons With Psychiatric Disorders: A Cross‐Sectional Study at Outpatient Clinics in Iraq
title_full_unstemmed Suicidal Ideation Among Persons With Psychiatric Disorders: A Cross‐Sectional Study at Outpatient Clinics in Iraq
title_short Suicidal Ideation Among Persons With Psychiatric Disorders: A Cross‐Sectional Study at Outpatient Clinics in Iraq
title_sort suicidal ideation among persons with psychiatric disorders a cross sectional study at outpatient clinics in iraq
topic cross‐sectional study
Iraq
outpatient psychiatric clinic
prevalence
psychiatric disorders
suicidal ideation
url https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.70517
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AT marwamohamedkamal suicidalideationamongpersonswithpsychiatricdisordersacrosssectionalstudyatoutpatientclinicsiniraq
AT smyasirarafat suicidalideationamongpersonswithpsychiatricdisordersacrosssectionalstudyatoutpatientclinicsiniraq