The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on suicide mortality in Spain: Differences by sex and age

Martínez-Alés, Gonzalo; López-Cuadrado, Teresa; Morrison, Christopher D.; Keyes, Katherine M.; Süsser, Ezra

doi:10.1016/j.jad.2023.02.115

Cited by 8 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 77 publications

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“…The results of our study suggest that this trend likely persisted in the years after the pandemic, in line with initial predictions made at the start of the pandemic ( 48 ) and similar findings in other countries ( 49 , 50 ). Recent reports suggest this increase in suicidality to be mainly driven by suicides in older adults, potentially impacted by the isolation, the loss, and bereavement they have faced in the context of particularly high mortality rates in Spain ( 51 ). There is an urgent need for the implementation of strategies targeted to particularly vulnerable populations to address and alleviate this critical global health issue.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Number and nature of psychiatric emergency department visits in a tertiary hospital before, during, and after coronavirus pandemic

Aymerich,

Pedruzo,

Salazar de Pablo

et al. 2024

Front. Psychiatry

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IntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted mental health globally, leading to a deterioration in the overall mental health of the population and changes across all healthcare levels, including emergency departments (ED). However, the evolution of the quantity and nature of psychiatric ED visits in the post-pandemic period remains uncertain.AimsTo examine changes in the number and nature of psychiatric emergencies at a general hospital before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic.Materials and methodsPsychiatric ED visits from a tertiary hospital in the Basque Country (Spain) between January 2019 and November 2023 were investigated. Electronical health registers detailing the number and nature of psychiatric care consultations were analyzed for the study timeframe. Three periods were then compared: pre-pandemic (from January 2019 to February 2020), pandemic (from March 2020 to January 2022), and post-pandemic (from February 2022 onwards).Results16,969 psychiatric ED visits were recorded for the study period. The number of psychiatric ED visits remained stable from pre-pandemic (269.93 visits/month) to pandemic (264.48 visits/month) periods but experienced a significant rise during the post-pandemic period (330.00 visits/month; t=-6.42; p<0.001), which was not reflected in medical and traumatological visits. The proportion of visits for anxiety (Z=-2.97; p=0.003), suicidal ideation (Z=-5.48; p<0.001), and administrative and social consultations (Z=-5.69; p<0.001) increased over the course of the pandemic. In contrast, visits for schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders (Z=4.85; p<0.001), as well as unspecified behavioral alterations (Z=2.51; p=0.012), significantly decreased.ConclusionThe COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath have altered the patterns of urgent psychiatric care, characterized by a sharp increase of average monthly number of consultations and a shift in their nature. Future efforts should focus on characterizing this surge in demand and enhancing both emergency services and outpatient settings.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Number and nature of psychiatric emergency department visits in a tertiary hospital before, during, and after coronavirus pandemic

Aymerich,

Pedruzo,

Salazar de Pablo

et al. 2024

Front. Psychiatry

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“…The excess in suicides among non-elderly females in certain sub-groups in Brazil also deserves attention, despite not being exclusive to Brazil during the COVID-19 pandemic (Martínez-Alés et al, 2023; Pouradeli et al, 2023; Ryu et al, 2022; Yoshioka et al, 2022). Women aged 30 to 59 years were probably the most impacted by excess suicides in the Brazilian pandemic setting.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Excess suicides in Brazil during the first 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic: Gender, regional and age group inequalities

Orellana,

de Souza,

Horta

2023

Int J Soc Psychiatry

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Background: While the COVID-19 pandemic’s total impact on global mortality is uncertain, an estimated 15 million excess deaths occurred during the first two pandemic years, suggesting that a broad impact, since several causes of death showed a substantial rise. Aims: To estimate excess suicides in Brazil and evaluate differences within and between subgroups during the first 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: Based on suicide data from the mortality information system of the Brazilian Ministry of Health, the expected number of suicides was estimated by age group, gender, 4-month periods and regions through quasi-Poisson generalized additive models. Analyses were performed in R software and RStudio. Results: Between March 2020 and February 2022, 29,295 suicides were reported in Brazil, close to what would be expected (30,116; 95% Confidence Interval (95% CI): [28,009, 32,224]), albeit in males and females aged 30 to 59 years and 60 years and over, there were excess suicides in at least one of the six 4-month periods evaluated, especially in the second pandemic year. In the Southeast region, a 28% increase was observed in women 60 years and older during the second year. In the North region, suicide increased 23% and 32% among women aged 30 to 59 years during the first and second pandemic years, respectively. The Northeast region had a 16% excess in suicides among men aged 30 to 59 years and 61% among women 60 years old and older during the second pandemic year, reaching 83% in July to October 2021. Conclusions: During the first 2 pandemic years, the pattern of suicides was not homogeneous in Brazil. There were substantial excess suicides in women aged 30 to 59 years from the North and Northeast, while among the elderly and men there was a consistent pattern in several four-month periods throughout Brazil.

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Recent geographic patterns in suicide in the United States

Rogerson,

Yang,

Bagchi-Sen

2024

GeoJournal

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The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on suicide mortality in Spain: Differences by sex and age

Cited by 8 publications

References 77 publications

Number and nature of psychiatric emergency department visits in a tertiary hospital before, during, and after coronavirus pandemic

Number and nature of psychiatric emergency department visits in a tertiary hospital before, during, and after coronavirus pandemic

Excess suicides in Brazil during the first 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic: Gender, regional and age group inequalities

Recent geographic patterns in suicide in the United States

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