Suicide Deaths During the COVID-19 Stay-at-Home Advisory in Massachusetts, March to May 2020

Source:

Faust JS, Shah SB, Du C, Li S, Lin Z, Krumholz HM. Suicide Deaths During the COVID-19 Stay-at-Home Advisory in Massachusetts, March to May 2020. JAMA Netw Open. 2021;4(1):e2034273. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.34273

Many policy makers believe that shelter-in-place or stay-at-home policies could cause an increase in what are known as deaths of despair. While increases in psychiatric stressors during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have been reported, it is presently unknown whether suicide rates similarly changed during stay-at-home periods.

Suicide risk often increases with rising unemployment and related strains, access to firearms, substance use, and interpersonal violence. Individuals with serious mental illness whose illness worsens may also contribute to related morbidity and mortality. However, this study's data suggest that an increase in suicide deaths in Massachusetts was not associated with the stay-at-home advisory. Moving forward, effective prevention efforts will require comprehensive attention to the full spectrum of mental health services.