An SBQ-R assessment of the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of young adults in North India: COVID-19 pandemic and mental health

Deepika Rani; Kewal Krishan; Nilesh Tumram; Utsav Parekh; Tanuj Kanchan

doi:10.23750/abm.v93i4.12805

An SBQ-R assessment of the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of young adults in North India

COVID-19 pandemic and mental health

Authors

Deepika Rani Department of Anthropology (UGC Centre of Advanced Study), Panjab University, Sector-14, Chandigarh, India https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1924-3347
Kewal Krishan Department of Anthropology, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5321-0958
Nilesh Tumram Department of Forensic Medicine, Government Medical College, Chandrapur, Maharashtra
Utsav Parekh Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rajkot, India. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0548-7810
Tanuj Kanchan Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences Jodhpur, India https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0346-1075

DOI: https://doi.org/10.23750/abm.v93i4.12805

Keywords:

COVID-19 Pandemic, Mental Health, Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised (SBQ-R), Suicidality

Abstract

Abstract

Background and aim: During the COVID-19 pandemic in India, an increase in the number of suicides was observed in India. Therefore, the present study aims to explore various factors affecting the mental health of an individual and their consequences. Moreover, it has been attempted to assess the suicidal risk in the population of North India by using the Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised (SBQ-R).

Methodology: The young adults from the North Indian population belonging to the age group of 18 to 35 years (24.93±4.42 years) have been incorporated into the study. A total of 190 responses (102 males and 88 females) were recorded through online mode. The present questionnaire has incorporated the Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised (SBQ-R) and some of the parameters taken from the psychology today online survey.

Results: The demographic characteristics of the respondents were described by using frequencies and percentages, means, and standard deviations. Cronbach’s alpha, Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO), and the Bartlett sphericity were calculated. The mean SBQ-R score was recorded to be 4.62±1.5. Further, during the factor analysis with the principal component method, seven factors have explained the 70.797% of the cumulative variance with an eigenvalue of 1.

Conclusions: The SBQ-R assessment revealed a minimal risk of suicidal behavior but the frequency distribution of the parameters taken for the psychological assessment has highlighted that anxiousness or worriedness has a significant impact on the mental health of the population at risk. Therefore, it is recommended that some precautionary measures, such as online mental health services, should be taken by the health ministry to keep the population healthy.

Author Biographies

Deepika Rani, Department of Anthropology (UGC Centre of Advanced Study), Panjab University, Sector-14, Chandigarh, India

Deepika Rani,

Senior Research fellow,

Department of Anthropology (UGC Centre of Advanced Study), Panjab University, Sector-14, Chandigarh, India

Kewal Krishan, Department of Anthropology, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India

Dr. Kewal Krishan, Ph.D., FRAI Associate Professor and former Chair, Department of Anthropology, (UGC Centre of Advanced Study) Panjab University, Sector-14, Chandigarh, India E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected] +919876048205 (Mobile) Dr. Kewal Krishan is a renowned forensic anthropologist and presently serving as Associate Professor and former Chairperson at the Department of Anthropology, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India. He passed his BSc (Hons.), MSc (Hons.), and Ph.D. from Panjab University, India. He is well known for his contributions to forensic and biological anthropology in Indian populations. He published more than 222 articles in international and national journals of repute including high impact and reputed journals such as Nature, Nature Medicine, and The Lancet. Dr. Krishan has contributed to the advancement of Forensic Science and its applications in Indian populations. He has devised many methods of criminal investigation and formulae to be used in the criminal investigation process. He contributed invited chapters to the most coveted Encyclopedia of Forensic Sciences (2013), Encyclopedia of Forensic and Legal Medicine (2016) published by Elsevier and Encyclopedia of Archaeological Sciences (2018) published by Wiley-Blackwell. He is the Editor and on the panel of editors of various reputed international journals such as Forensic Science International, Medicine Science and the Law, Archives of Public Health etc. He has been awarded the fellowship of the Royal Anthropological Institute (FRAI) of Great Britain and Ireland, London for his contributions to forensic anthropology in India. His research has been cited by more than 8500 studies in the scientific literature. His Wikipedia profile is available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kewal_Krishan_(forensic_anthropologist) His interests include Forensics, Human biology, Biological anthropology, Human morphology, Anthropometry, Forensic podiatry, Publication ethics, Malnutrition and anthropological aspects of Public Health

Nilesh Tumram, Department of Forensic Medicine, Government Medical College, Chandrapur, Maharashtra

Dr. Nilesh Tumram, MD

Professor and Head,

Department of Forensic Medicine, Government Medical College, Chandrapur, Maharashtra

Utsav Parekh, Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rajkot, India.

Dr. Utsav Parekh, MD,

Assistant Professor,

Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rajkot, India.

Tanuj Kanchan, Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences Jodhpur, India

Dr. Tanuj Kanchan, MD

Professor and Head,

Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences Jodhpur, India

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An SBQ-R assessment of the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of young adults in North India: COVID-19 pandemic and mental health

An SBQ-R assessment of the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of young adults in North India

COVID-19 pandemic and mental health

Authors

Keywords:

Abstract

Author Biographies

Deepika Rani, Department of Anthropology (UGC Centre of Advanced Study), Panjab University, Sector-14, Chandigarh, India

Kewal Krishan, Department of Anthropology, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India

Nilesh Tumram, Department of Forensic Medicine, Government Medical College, Chandrapur, Maharashtra

Utsav Parekh, Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rajkot, India.

Tanuj Kanchan, Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences Jodhpur, India

References

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