The increase in suicide risk in older adults in Taiwan during the COVID-19 outbreak

Yang, Chi-Ting; Yip, Paul S. F.

doi:10.1016/j.jad.2023.02.006

Cited by 9 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…However, significant excess suicides among women from the Northeast region were observed, regardless of pandemic year, as well as among women in the Southeast region, mainly in July-October 2021 of the second pandemic year. As may be expected, there was excess suicide in the older age group (Chen et al, 2023;Pires et al, 2022;Ryu et al, 2022), mainly in the Northeast, confirming previous predictions during the first 10 months of the pandemic in Brazil (J. D.Y. Orellana & de Souza, 2022).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

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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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

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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“…Our findings have data-driven implications for global public health policies that aim to enhance mental wellbeing in middle-aged and older adults. Their mental health needs have been overlooked especially during the COVID-19 pandemic 26,27 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The beneficial impact of Internet use on the mental well-being among adults aged ≥50 years in 23 countries

Zhang,

Luo,

Yip

2024

Preprint

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As population aging and digital transformation continue worldwide, the Internet is playing an increasingly important role in addressing age-related mental health challenges. However, evidence on the relationship between Internet use and mental well-being among middle-aged and older adults across different countries is limited and inconsistent. Leveraging data from six aging cohorts across 23 high- and middle-income countries, we used linear mixed models and meta-analyses to examine the longitudinal association between baseline Internet use and subsequent mental health outcomes among adults aged ≥50 years (n=87,803). Independent of confounders, Internet use was associated with fewer depressive symptoms (pooled β = -0.09, 95% confidence interval [CI] = -0.12 to -0.07), higher life satisfaction (pooled β = 0.06, 95% CI = 0.03 to 0.09), and better self-reported health (pooled β = 0.15, 95% CI = 0.13 to 0.17). Cross-national differences in the beneficial effect of Internet use were observed and could be partially explained by country-level factors, such as gross domestic product per capita and world happiness index. The protective role of Internet use varied in different subpopulations within a country and was identified across people with different genetic risks. A higher frequency and an additional wave of Internet use were also related to improved mental health. These findings could provide significant implications for public health policies and practices in promoting mental well-being in later life through the Internet. Internet use can provide great benefits for mental health of older adults, especially in countries with limited Internet access and mental health services.

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“…The economic and social disruption that followed the COVID pandemic has added to the problem. Multiple reports of increased suicides following not only COVID (Briguglio et al ., 2020; Chen et al ., 2023) but also other pandemics have also been published, which raises the alarm that this combined biomedical and psychosocial disaster may recur (Chan et al ., 2006; Mukhtar and Candilis, 2022). While the rates of suicidal behavior among younger people have climbed, the highest rates remain among those over 65 (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2023).…”

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confidence: 99%

Trauma in childhood: therapeutic implications of the differences between early-life and late-life suicidal behavior

Kennedy

2023

Int. Psychogeriatr.

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The increase in suicide risk in older adults in Taiwan during the COVID-19 outbreak

Cited by 9 publications

References 36 publications

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

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

The beneficial impact of Internet use on the mental well-being among adults aged ≥50 years in 23 countries

Trauma in childhood: therapeutic implications of the differences between early-life and late-life suicidal behavior

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