Increase in suicide following an initial decline during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan.
Nat Hum Behav
; 5(2): 229-238, 2021 02.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1033701
ABSTRACT
There is increasing concern that the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic could harm psychological health and exacerbate suicide risk. Here, based on month-level records of suicides covering the entire Japanese population in 1,848 administrative units, we assessed whether suicide mortality changed during the pandemic. Using difference-in-difference estimation, we found that monthly suicide rates declined by 14% during the first 5 months of the pandemic (February to June 2020). This could be due to a number of complex reasons, including the government's generous subsidies, reduced working hours and school closure. By contrast, monthly suicide rates increased by 16% during the second wave (July to October 2020), with a larger increase among females (37%) and children and adolescents (49%). Although adverse impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic may remain in the long term, its modifiers (such as government subsidies) may not be sustained. Thus, effective suicide prevention-particularly among vulnerable populations-should be an important public health consideration.
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Suicide
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
Limits:
Adolescent
/
Adult
/
Aged
/
Child
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
/
Young adult
Country/Region as subject:
Asia
Language:
English
Journal:
Nat Hum Behav
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
S41562-020-01042-z
Similar
MEDLINE
...
LILACS
LIS