The relationships between stress, stress-coping behaviors, and suicidal risk among Thais who had become unemployed due to the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study
Original Research Article

The relationships between stress, stress-coping behaviors, and suicidal risk among Thais who had become unemployed due to the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study

Original Research Article
Categories: Psychiatric Nursing, Suicide, Public Health and Community Nursing
https://doi.org/10.33546/bnj.2193
Chalermpon Kajai
Department of Psychiatric Nursing and Community Nursing, Boromarajonani College of Nursing, Phayao, Faculty of Nursing, Praboromarajchanok Institute, Nonthaburi, Thailand
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2382-3224
Wanich Suksatan
Department of Community Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, HRH Princess Chulabhorn College of Medical Science, Chulabhorn Royal Academy, Bangkok, Thailand
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1797-1260
Nittaya Promkunta
Department of Women’s Nursing and Children, Faculty of Nursing, University of Phayao, Phayao, Thailand
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5755-4766
Natakorn Kamkaew
Unit of Excellence in Clinical Research, Division of Physiology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Phayao, Phayao 56000, Thailand
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4927-0258
PDF
XML

Keywords

stress
stress-coping behaviors
suicidal risk
unemployment
COVID-19
Thailand

How to Cite

Kajai, C., Suksatan, W., Promkunta, N., & Kamkaew, N. (2022). The relationships between stress, stress-coping behaviors, and suicidal risk among Thais who had become unemployed due to the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study . Belitung Nursing Journal, 8(5), 446–452. https://doi.org/10.33546/bnj.2193
ACM ACS APA ABNT Chicago Harvard IEEE MLA Turabian Vancouver

Download Citation

Endnote/Zotero/Mendeley (RIS) BibTeX
Crossref
Scopus
Europe PMC
Google Scholar

Link to Google Scholar

Accepted for publication: 2022-09-02
Peer reviewed: Yes

Share on Share on Facebook Tweet This Share on LinkedIn Share on reddit Send email

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in severe mental health problems worldwide. Thus, in addition to the high number of people who have died from infection with complications, some have committed suicide.

Objective: This study aimed to determine the relationships between stress, stress-coping behaviors, and suicidal risk among those who had become unemployed in Thailand due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: This study had a cross-sectional correlational design and included 447 unemployed Thais at least 18 years of age who had become unemployed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The participants were selected through multistage sampling. A self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. The data were then analyzed using frequency, percentage, and Spearman’s correlation coefficient.

Results: Most participants had moderate-level stress (73.16%) and stress-coping behaviors (71.81%). Almost all the participants had no suicidal risk (76.73%). The stress level and overall stress-coping behavior were positively correlated with suicidal risk (r = 0.305, p <0.01 and r = 0.352, p <0.01, respectively).

Conclusion: Stress and stress-coping behaviors were associated with suicidal risk among Thais who had become unemployed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Hence, nurses must screen patients with psychological problems, especially those who have become unemployed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, for suicide risk. Developing interventions to reduce such patients’ stress and promote appropriate stress-coping behaviors is essential.

https://doi.org/10.33546/bnj.2193
PDF
XML

Supporting Agencies

This study was funded by the Unit of Excellence in Clinical Research University of Phayao and Boromarajonani College of Nursing, Phayao, Faculty of Nursing, Praboromarajchanok Institute, Thailand

Copyright

Copyright (c) 2022 Chalermpon Kajai, Wanich Suksatan, Nittaya Promkunta, Natakorn Kamkaew

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

References

Allan, N. P., Volarov, M., Koscinski, B., Pizzonia, K. L., Potter, K., Accorso, C., Saulnier, K. G., Ashrafioun, L., Stecker, T., & Suhr, J. (2021). Lonely, anxious, and uncertain: Critical risk factors for suicidal desire during the COVID-19 pandemic. Psychiatry Research, 304, 114144. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2021.114144

Banerjee, D., Kosagisharaf, J. R., & Rao, T. S. S. (2021). ‘The dual pandemic’of suicide and COVID-19: A biopsychosocial narrative of risks and prevention. Psychiatry Research, 295, 113577. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2020.113577

Briere, J., Kwon, O., Semple, R. J., & Godbout, N. (2019). Recent suicidal ideation and behavior in the general population: The role of depression, posttraumatic stress, and reactive avoidance. The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 207(5), 320-325. https://doi.org/10.1097/NMD.0000000000000976

Caballero-Domínguez, C. C., Jiménez-Villamizar, M. P., & Campo-Arias, A. (2022). Suicide risk during the lockdown due to coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Colombia. Death Studies, 46(4), 885-890. https://doi.org/10.1080/07481187.2020.1784312

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022). Covid data tracker. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker

Chaniang, S., Klongdee, K., & Jompaeng, Y. (2022). Suicide prevention: A qualitative study with Thai secondary school students. Belitung Nursing Journal, 8(1), 60-66. https://doi.org/10.33546/bnj.1746

Choompunuch, B., Suksatan, W., Sonsroem, J., Kutawan, S., & In-udom, A. (2021). Stress, adversity quotient, and health behaviors of undergraduate students in a Thai university during COVID-19 outbreak. Belitung Nursing Journal, 7(1), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.33546/bnj.1276

Cohen, S., Kamarck, T., & Mermelstein, R. (1983). A global measure of perceived stress. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 24(4), 385-396. https://doi.org/10.2307/2136404

Elbogen, E. B., Lanier, M., Blakey, S. M., Wagner, H. R., & Tsai, J. (2021). Suicidal ideation and thoughts of self‐harm during the COVID‐19 pandemic: The role of COVID‐19‐related stress, social isolation, and financial strain. Depression and Anxiety, 38(7), 739-748. https://doi.org/10.1002/da.23162

Faul, F., Erdfelder, E., Lang, A.-G., & Buchner, A. (2007). G* Power 3: A flexible statistical power analysis program for the social, behavioral, and biomedical sciences. Behavior Research Methods, 39(2), 175-191. https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03193146

Islam, S. M. D.-U., Bodrud-Doza, M., Khan, R. M., Haque, M. A., & Mamun, M. A. (2020). Exploring COVID-19 stress and its factors in Bangladesh: A perception-based study. Heliyon, 6(7), e04399. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e04399

Jalowiec, A., Murphy, S. P., & Powers, M. J. (1984). Psychometric assessment of the Jalowiec Coping Scale. Nursing Research, 33(3), 157-161. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1097/00006199-198405000-00008

Kudinova, A. Y., Bettis, A. H., Thompson, E. C., Thomas, S. A., Nesi, J., Erguder, L., MacPherson, H. A., Burke, T. A., & Wolff, J. C. (2022). COVID-19 related daily stressors, coping, and suicidal ideation in psychiatrically hospitalized youth. Child Youth Care Forum, 51, 579-592. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10566-021-09641-1

Lazarus, R. S., & Folkman, S. (1987). Transactional theory and research on emotions and coping. European Journal of Personality, 1(3), 141-169. https://doi.org/10.1002%2Fper.2410010304

McGee, R. E., Windle, M., Cooper, H. L. F., & Thompson, N. J. (2021). Resilience among unemployed and underemployed emerging adults: A cross-sectional study of how stress and coping relate to depressive symptoms. Emerging Adulthood, 9(4), 372-383. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F2167696820949401

Mingkuan, P. (1999). Stress and coping in the elderly stroke patients [Master's Thesis, Chiang Mai University]. Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Mousteri, V., Daly, M., Delaney, L., Tynelius, P., & Rasmussen, F. (2019). Adolescent mental health and unemployment over the lifespan: Population evidence from Sweden. Social Science & Medicine, 222, 305-314. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2018.12.030

Qin, P., & Mehlum, L. (2021). National observation of death by suicide in the first 3 months under COVID-19 pandemic. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 143(1), 92-93. https://doi.org/10.1111/acps.13246

Ruksee, N., Donjdee, K., Songsiri, N., Deesawas, W., Janjaroen, S., & Yupu, A. (2021). A study of the stress, anxiety and family relationships among Thai people after the COVID-19 Pandemic in The early stages. Quality of Life and Law Journal, 17(1), 94-108.

Sher, L. (2020a). COVID-19, anxiety, sleep disturbances and suicide. Sleep Medicine, 70, 124. https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.sleep.2020.04.019

Sher, L. (2020b). The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on suicide rates. QJM: An International Journal of Medicine, 113(10), 707-712. https://doi.org/10.1093/qjmed/hcaa202

Simsir, Z., Koc, H., Seki, T., & Griffiths, M. D. (2022). The relationship between fear of COVID-19 and mental health problems: A meta-analysis. Death Studies, 46(3), 515-523. https://doi.org/10.1080/07481187.2021.1889097

Sonthe, K., Huttapanom, W., Romsai, P., & Chokrusamehirun, J. (2020). The development of a psychiatric inpatient suicide risk assessment. Journal of Suicide Prevention of Thailand, 1(1), 9-24.

Standish, K. (2021). A coming wave: Suicide and gender after COVID-19. Journal of Gender Studies, 30(1), 114-118. https://doi.org/10.1080/09589236.2020.1796608

Suksatan, W., Choompunuch, B., Koontalay, A., Posai, V., & Abusafia, A. H. (2021). Predictors of health behaviors among undergraduate students during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional predictive study. Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare, 14, 727-734. https://doi.org/10.2147%2FJMDH.S306718

Suondusitpoll. (2021). The mental status of Thai people in COVID-19 era. Retrieved 9 May 2022 from https://www.thaipost.net/main/detail/104634

Suttipun, N., & Intarangkul, T. (2022). Anxiety, stress and self-protection of villagers under the lockdown from the Coronavirus 2019 outbreak in Mueang Buri Ram District. Medical Journal of Srisaket Surin Buriram Hospital, 37(1), 31-40.

World Health Organization. (2012). World Health Organization public health action for the prevention of suicide: A framework. Geneva: WHO.

World Health Organization. (2022). WHO health emergency dashboard. Retrieved 2 July 2022 from https://covid19.who.int/region/searo/country/th