https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6055-7984
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Abstract
Background and Aim
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is currently prevalent worldwide. This research aimed to explore the effect of adverse childhood experience (ACE) on suicide ideation in young cancer patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. Self-reported questionnaires analyzed the mediating effects of sleep quality, anxiety symptoms, and inflammatory conditions between ACE and suicide ideation.
Materials and Methods
A total of 197 young cancer patients (age 18–40) completed questionnaires and a blood test. Correlation analysis and structural equation model were used to explore the relationships between ACE, sleep quality, anxiety symptom, serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and suicide ideation. The mediating roles of sleep quality, anxiety symptoms, and CRP levels on the influence of ACE on suicide ideation were explored.
Results
ACE was positively related to anxiety symptoms, CRP levels, and suicide ideation, and negatively related to sleep quality. Anxiety symptoms and CRP levels were positively related to suicide ideation, while sleep quality was negatively related to suicide ideation. Anxiety symptoms were positively related to CRP levels but negatively related to sleep quality. From these results, we found ACE affected suicide ideation directly and was mediated by roles sleep quality, anxiety symptom and CRP.
Conclusion
ACE not only directly affected suicide ideation but also affected suicide ideation through sleep quality, anxiety symptoms, and inflammatory conditions in young cancer patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, targeted intervention and help for cancer patients from the perspective of ACE should be put into practice.
Acknowledgments
We thank all cancer patients who took part in this study.
Disclosure
The authors report no conflicts of interest for this work.