Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on suicide attempts in a rural region in Germany, a 5-year observational study.
Covid-19 pandemic
Interrupted time-series analysis
Suicidal behavior
Suicidal ideations
Journal
Journal of affective disorders
ISSN: 1573-2517
Titre abrégé: J Affect Disord
Pays: Netherlands
ID NLM: 7906073
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
01 12 2022
01 12 2022
Historique:
received:
28
04
2022
revised:
05
08
2022
accepted:
11
09
2022
pubmed:
17
9
2022
medline:
30
9
2022
entrez:
16
9
2022
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
The COVID-19 pandemic and public life restrictions may have a negative impact on people's mental health. Therefore, we analyzed whether this condition affected the occurrence of suicide attempts (SA) over 20 months during the pandemic period. We included patient records according to DSM-5 criteria for suicidal behavior disorders (n = 825) between Jan 1, 2017, and Dec 31, 2021. We applied interrupted time-series Poisson regression models to investigate the effect of the pandemic on SA occurrence, time trends, and seasonal patterns in the whole group of patients as well as stratified by age and gender. There was no significant effect of the pandemic on the occurrence of SA in the overall group. However, we observed a significant impact of the pandemic on the seasonal pattern of SA, also the variance differed significantly (pre-pandemic mean ± variance: 13.33 ± 15.75, pandemic: mean ± variance: 13.86 ± 7.26), indicating less periodic variation in SA during the pandemic. Male patients and young adults mainly contributed to this overall effect. Subgroup analysis revealed a significant difference in SA trends during the pandemic in older adults (>55 years) compared with younger adults (18-35 years); SA numbers increased in older adults and decreased in younger adults as the pandemic progressed. A few patients may have received initial care in an emergency department after SA without being referred to psychiatry. In general, the COVID-19 pandemic and related measures did not significantly affect the occurrence of SA but did significantly affect the dynamics. In addition, the pandemic appeared to affect suicidal behavior differently across age groups as it progressed. Particularly for the older adult group, negative long-term effects of the pandemic on suicidal behavior can be derived from the present results, indicating the need to strengthen suicide prevention for the elderly.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
The COVID-19 pandemic and public life restrictions may have a negative impact on people's mental health. Therefore, we analyzed whether this condition affected the occurrence of suicide attempts (SA) over 20 months during the pandemic period.
METHODS
We included patient records according to DSM-5 criteria for suicidal behavior disorders (n = 825) between Jan 1, 2017, and Dec 31, 2021. We applied interrupted time-series Poisson regression models to investigate the effect of the pandemic on SA occurrence, time trends, and seasonal patterns in the whole group of patients as well as stratified by age and gender.
RESULTS
There was no significant effect of the pandemic on the occurrence of SA in the overall group. However, we observed a significant impact of the pandemic on the seasonal pattern of SA, also the variance differed significantly (pre-pandemic mean ± variance: 13.33 ± 15.75, pandemic: mean ± variance: 13.86 ± 7.26), indicating less periodic variation in SA during the pandemic. Male patients and young adults mainly contributed to this overall effect. Subgroup analysis revealed a significant difference in SA trends during the pandemic in older adults (>55 years) compared with younger adults (18-35 years); SA numbers increased in older adults and decreased in younger adults as the pandemic progressed.
LIMITATIONS
A few patients may have received initial care in an emergency department after SA without being referred to psychiatry.
CONCLUSIONS
In general, the COVID-19 pandemic and related measures did not significantly affect the occurrence of SA but did significantly affect the dynamics. In addition, the pandemic appeared to affect suicidal behavior differently across age groups as it progressed. Particularly for the older adult group, negative long-term effects of the pandemic on suicidal behavior can be derived from the present results, indicating the need to strengthen suicide prevention for the elderly.
Identifiants
pubmed: 36113687
pii: S0165-0327(22)01024-2
doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2022.09.022
pmc: PMC9472680
pii:
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Observational Study
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
393-399Informations de copyright
Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts
Conflict of Interest The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
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