Association of workplace bullying and burnout with nurses’ suicidal ideation in Bangladesh

Abstract

Suicidal ideation is a complex phenomenon influenced by several predisposing, contextual, and mediating factors that seem more common among healthcare workers, especially nurses. We investigated the association of bullying and burnout with suicidal ideation among Bangladeshi nurses and identified the associated factors. We conducted a cross-sectional study among 1264 nurses in Bangladesh between February 2021 and July 2021. We applied a modified Poisson regression model with robust error variance to determine the association of bullying and burnout with suicidal ideation. Among 1264 nurses, the female was 882 (70.02%), and the mean age was 28.41 (SD = 5.54) years. The prevalence of high levels of suicidal ideation was 13.26%. In the Poison regression model, high risk bullying (RR = 6.22, 95% CI 3.13–12.38), targeted to bullying (RR = 7.61, 95% CI 3.53–16.38), and burnout (RR = 8.95, 95% CI 2.84–28.20) were found to be significantly associated with suicidal ideation. Furthermore, we found significant interaction between workplace bullying and burnout with suicidal ideation (p < 0.05). The high prevalence of bullying, burnout, suicidal ideation, and their association indicate an unsafe workplace for the nurses. Initiatives are needed to make a favorable work environment to improve nurses' overall mental health and reduce suicide ideation.

Suicidal ideation and their relationship with job satisfaction and job strain among Jordanian hospitals’ healthcare professionals: a cross-sectional study

“…Regarding sociodemographic factors, our results found no statistically significant differences in the scores of suicidal ideation due to sex, type of work sector, age, and years of experience, while the monthly income variable was statistically significant (income under 500 JD (1,057 $)). Low income and economic inequalities could be potential predictors of suicidal ideation among healthcare professionals, owing to their negative effects on their quality of life and impeding career advancement (48). Kabir et al (48) found that monthly income, geographical location of the workplace, department of work, and insufficient equipment to manage patients were associated with suicidal ideation among nurses.…”

“…Low income and economic inequalities could be potential predictors of suicidal ideation among healthcare professionals, owing to their negative effects on their quality of life and impeding career advancement (48). Kabir et al (48) found that monthly income, geographical location of the workplace, department of work, and insufficient equipment to manage patients were associated with suicidal ideation among nurses. And nurses in the higher-and middle-income groups showed higher levels of suicidal ideation than those in the lower-income category.…”

Revealing the Confluences: Workplace Bullying and Suicidality Independent of Depression Presence

“…In an Italian prospective study, 48 targets of workplace bullying exhibited increased scores on the MMPI-2 scale's Hs, D, Hy, and Pa items 22 months later, along with high rates of suicidality 7 . Numerous studies have demonstrated that individuals exposed to workplace bullying have increased rates of mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, leading to suicide 3,4,[40][41][42] . According to the Stress as Offense to Self (SOS) perspective, a theory within workplace bullying, self-worth comprises self-esteem and social esteem.…”