Suicide trends in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic: an interrupted time series analysis of preliminary data from 21 countries
DOI: https : //doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(21)00091-2
Commentary
This study investigated the impact of urban blockades and suicide rates implemented due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Concerns have been expressed that this pandemic is having serious mental health consequences for many people, which in the most extreme cases may manifest as increased suicide rates.
The study obtained real-time suicide data from the country or regions of the country through systematic Internet searches and reliance on networks and published literature. from September 1 to November 1, 2020, the official websites of the ministries of health, police agencies, government-run statistical agencies, or equivalent institutions in these countries were searched. websites, using the previously translated search terms "suicide" and "cause of death".
The search will be expanded to identify data through other official sources. Data were available at the monthly level from at least January 1, 2019, through July 31, 2020, from specific countries or regions, if they were from official government sources. Internet searches were limited to more than 3 million countries.
From the survey results, we analyzed data from 21 countries (16 high-income and 5 upper-middle-income) and found that the ratios (RRs) and 95% CIs based on the observed and expected number of suicides indicate that the risk of suicide has increased significantly since the pandemic began in any country or region. No evidence was presented.
There was statistical evidence of a decrease in suicide compared to expected numbers in 12 countries or regions: New South Wales, Australia (RR 0.81 [95% CI 0.72-0.91]); Alberta, Canada (0.80 [0.68 -0.93]); British Columbia, Canada (0.76 [0.66-0.87]); Chile (0.85 [0.78-0.94]); Leipzig, Germany (0.49 [0.32 -0.74]); Japan (0.94 [0.91-0.96]); New Zealand (0.79 [0.68-0.91]); South Korea (0.94 [0.92-0.97]); United States California (0.90 [0.85-0.95]); Illinois (Cook County), USA (0.79 [0.67-0.93]); Texas (four counties), USA (0.82 [0.68-0.98]); and Ecuador (0.74 [0.67-0.82]), with these results.
This is the result of an initial study that examined suicides occurring in the context of a COVID-19 pandemic in several countries, and found that in high-income and upper-middle-income countries, the number of suicides changed little or decreased in the early months of the pandemic compared to expected levels based on the pre-pandemic period This was the result of the study. However, the situation may change as the long-term mental health and economic consequences of the pandemic become clearer, so we need to remain vigilant and be ready to respond.
