Suicide Ideation in Depressed People Living with HIV/AIDS in District Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh (India)

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Suicide ideation is common amongst peoplewith HIV/AIDS but may not often indicate any significantrisk of suicide. However, persistent suicide ideation withassociated depression, could be serious and must beinvestigated promptly and carefully. This communicationaims at examining prevalence of suicide ideation in depressedPeople Living with HIV/AIDs (PLHAs) and in relation tosome of its socio-demographic and clinical variates.Material and Methods: This is a part of a cross sectionalstudy on depression in 104 HIV/AIDS patients, registered atART Clinic of a teaching hospital, undertaken in 2013-14 atJhansi in Uttar Pradesh (India). On applying GHQ tool, 70patients of depression were identified. These 70 patients werefurther studied for suicide ideation.Results: The prevalence of suicide ideation among depressedHIV/AIDS was found 60% as well as significant associationof suicide ideation was found with occupation, habitat and permonth income of depressed HIV/AIDS patients.Conclusions: The significant association between sociodemographic profile of depressed HIV/AIDS patients andsuicide ideation is an important marker that should alertclinicians to underlying suicidal risk. Clinicians shouldroutinely enquire on suicidality in depressed PLHAs andassist them in their early diagnosis and intervention.