Suicide numbers during the first 9-15 months of the COVID-19 pandemic compared with pre-existing trends: An interrupted time series analysis in 33 countries

Have restrictions on human mobility impacted suicide rates during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan?

“…This study focused on the association between the changes in human mobility and suicide rates during a particular period of the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan. Although no significant increase in suicide during the COVID-19 pandemic was observed in other developed countries ( Liu et al, 2021 ; Perez et al, 2022 ; Pirkis et al, 2021 ), there was an increase in suicides in Japan, and several reports speculated that this was due to increased anxiety caused by restricted activity during the pandemic ( Gunnell et al, 2020 ; McGinty et al, 2020 ; Murayama et al, 2021 ; Pirkis et al, 2022 ). However, no study has quantitatively evaluated these observations in Japan.…”

COVID-19 and suicide: Evidence from Japan

“…This is corroborated by monthly survey data during the early phases of the pandemic showing worsening depression and anxiety symptoms among women under the age of 40. 8 Similarly, the increased risk of suicide among young people observed by Gato and colleagues, and by others, 3,5,6,9 may reflect the fact that many young people are employed in low-skilled occupations and in precarious employment. Taken together, these findings point to economic and employment vulnerability as important risk factors for suicide at this stage of the pandemic and highlight the need to ameliorate their worst effects.…”

“… 3 Suicide rates now appear to be higher in Japan than they were pre-pandemic for many age and sex groups. 4 , 5 , 6 …”

“…No other country has experienced increases, not just in youth suicides but suicides across a range of age and sex groups, like Japan has. 6 This raises interesting and important questions about why Japan is different from other countries? The authors suggest several factors that may have exacerbated suicides among young people.…”

What happened to the predicted COVID-19-induced suicide epidemic, and why?

“…Despite these high-end predictions, by the end of 2020, there was no such epidemic ( Pirkis et al, 2021 ). After 15 months, the suicide rates in most countries that produced data had remained stubbornly static and in some cases declined ( Pirkis et al, 2022 ). In Victoria (which by the end of 2020 had endured the world’s second longest lockdown), New South Wales and Tasmania, the rates were either flat or fell.…”