Hospital suicide due to non-treatment by healthcare staff fearing COVID-19 infection in Bangladesh?

Mohammed A Mamun; Md Bodrud-Doza; Mark D Griffiths

doi:10.1016/j.ajp.2020.102295

Hospital suicide due to non-treatment by healthcare staff fearing COVID-19 infection in Bangladesh?

Asian J Psychiatr. 2020 Dec:54:102295. doi: 10.1016/j.ajp.2020.102295. Epub 2020 Jul 11.

Authors

Mohammed A Mamun¹, Md Bodrud-Doza², Mark D Griffiths³

Affiliations

¹ Undergraduate Research Organization, Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh; Department of Public Health & Informatics, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh. Electronic address: [email protected].
² Undergraduate Research Organization, Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh; Climate Change Programme (CCP), BRAC, Dhaka, 1212, Bangladesh.
³ Psychology Department, Nottingham Trent University, 50 Shakespeare Street, Nottingham, NG1 4FQ, UK.

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to individuals fearing COVID-19 infection alongside conditions such anxiety, depression, trauma, and stress. For a small minority, such mental health factors can contribute to suicide. Here we report a novel reason for suicide and seemingly COVID-19-related - negligence in getting treatment by Bangladeshi healthcare providers. It was alleged that a woman committed suicide at a hospital because she was not treated and because doctors and nurses suspected she was infected with COVID-19 and did not want to get infected themselves. To help allay the fears among HCPs and the patients they are treating with COVID-19, a number of initiatives are suggested.

Keywords: COVID-19 fear; COVID-19 suicide; COVID-19 treatment issues; Healthcare professionals; Treatment negligence.

Publication types

Case Reports
Letter

MeSH terms

Adult
Anxiety / psychology*
Bangladesh
COVID-19 / psychology*
COVID-19 / therapy
Female
Humans
Mental Health
Pandemics
Suicide / psychology*