Suicide attempts among youngs increased during the pandemic
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A team from the University of Calgary, Canada found that during the COVID pandemic, there was a significant increase in the number of visits for suicide attempts among children.
Children with suicidal thoughts visited the departments slightly less often, and the number of cases of self-harm decreased during the pandemic.
At the same time, the number of appeals for other mental and somatic problems has decreased.
Several studies have shown that during the covid pandemic, children were more likely to experience anxiety, depression and eating disorders.
Scientists have attributed these phenomena to the fact that children face increased stress due to:
- more screen time
- reduced physical activity
- increased domestic violence
- parental alcohol consumption
- death of relatives
Studies of suicidal behavior among children during the pandemic showed mixed results.
While some studies spoke of an increase in suicidal attempts in children, others stated that there was no clear change.
THE STUDY
Now the Calgary team has conducted a meta-analysis and systematic review of 42 articles from 18 countries with a total sample of 11.1 million records of pediatric emergency room visits pre-pandemic and during the pandemic.
The median age of children in all studies was 11.7 years, and the median proportion of girls in total emergency room visits was 57.6%.
The meta-analysis showed a statistically significant increase in emergency room visits during the covid pandemic for suicide attempts among children by 22%.
An 8% percent increase in the number of calls for suicidal thoughts. At the same time, the number of inflicted self-damages slightly decreased.
Notably, emergency department visits for other psychiatric conditions dropped significantly, on average, by 19%, and total emergency room visits fell by 32%.
Then the team led by Sheri Madigan analyzed the gender structure of emergency department visits.
They found that among girls, the frequency of suicide attempts and suicidal thoughts during the covid pandemic was much higher than among boys (39% versus 6%).
Only self-harm indicators had sufficient data to estimate the age distribution.
Thus, the number of self-harm during COVID increased significantly among teenagers (average age 16.3 years) and slightly decreased among younger schoolchildren (average age 9 years).
Only one study examined the frequency of suicidal thoughts and attempts in young children.
The researchers did not find significant differences in it between primary and secondary school age.
OTHER DETAILS
In only one study, scientists studied the relationship between suicidal attempts, thoughts and self-harm and race, ethnicity and the socioeconomic status of the family.
In this study, the frequency of suicidal thoughts or attempts increased most among white adolescents
Also, in all socioeconomic groups, except for the low family income group, the number of suicidal thoughts and thoughts increased.
This study, according to scientists, firstly, additionally draws attention to the importance of timely diagnosis and correction of suicidal behavior in children in emergency situations
Secondly, it raises the issue of improving the skills of medical workers in emergency departments in the field of work with acute mental conditions.
Sources:
- The Lancet Psychiatry: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpsy/article/PIIS2215-0366(23)00036-6/fulltext
- CBC: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/youth-suicide-attempts-ideation-increase-1.6774286
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