Changing Trends in Suicidal Ideation and Its Influencing Factors During the Transition From Quarantine to Post-Quarantine Among Chinese University Students During the COVID-19 Surge: Six-Wave Panel Study

Abstract

Background: To mitigate the rapid spread of COVID-19, numerous countries have adopted lockdowns and quarantine measures. Despite their public health benefits, the effects of these measures on suicidal ideation have not been well documented. Objective: This study aims to examine the relationship among COVID-19 infection, perceived beliefs, uncertainty stress, and suicidal ideation during the transition from quarantine to post-quarantine periods amid China’s COVID-19 surge. Methods: A prospective longitudinal observational design was used. Changing trends across the 6 time points were assessed using the Mann-Kendall test and the Cochran-Armitage test. A generalized estimating equation was used to analyze the associations between independent variables and suicidal ideation. Results: A total of 221 (96.5%) participants completed all 6 observation waves. The prevalence of suicidal ideation during the quarantine period was 16.7% (n=37), 14.5% (n=32), and 14.5% (n=32), while during the post-quarantine period, it was 13.8% (n=30), 10.9% (n=24), and 10.0% (n=22), respectively. A significant downward trend in suicidal ideation was observed. In contrast, perceived risk, perceived severity, and the number of new infections exhibited significant upward trends (z scores of 9.56, 7.13, and 3.69, respectively; P