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Pediatric suicide attempts lagged during the COVID-19 pandemic: a European multicenter study.

Authors :
Moscoso, Ana
Cousien, Anthony
Serra, Giulia
Erlangsen, Annette
Vila, Mar
Paradžik, Ljubica
Pires, Sandra
Villar, Francisco
Bogadi, Marija
da Silva, Pedro Caldeira
Vicari, Stefano
Krantz, Mette Falkenberg
Delorme, Richard
do Amaral, Sarah
Andracchio, Elisa
Apicell, Massimo
Bilić, Ivana
Chieppa, Fabrizia
Duarte, Nuno Araújo
Faustino, Iolanda
Source :
Child & Adolescent Psychiatry & Mental Health; 8/7/2024, Vol. 18 Issue 1, p1-12, 12p
Publication Year :
2024

Abstract

Background: Elevated rates of suicidal behavior were reported during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, information is scarce on patients' profiles during this period. Studies evoke the potential adverse effects of the mandatory lockdown, but they remain relatively speculative. Methods: We monitored fluctuations in suicide attempts (SA) in six European countries. We gathered data, retrospectively for under 18-year-old SA episodes (1 January 2018 to 31 December 2021), through records of psychiatric emergency services. We collected clinical profiles individually. We extracted environmental indicators by month, as provided by Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker (OxCGRT). We used the Pruned Exact Linear Time (PELT) method to identify breakpoints in SA episodes reported for each country, and logistic regressions to estimate changes in patients' characteristics after the breakpoints. Finally, we used a univariate and multivariate negative binomial model to assess the link between SA and OxCGRT indicators, accounting for the delay (lag) between the interventions and their impact on SA. Results: The study comprised 2,833 children and adolescents (mean age = 15.1 years (SD 1.6); M: F sex-ratio = 1:5.4). A significant increase in SA was found either 6 or 10 months after the beginning of the pandemic, varying by country. Patients were more likely to be girls (aOR = 1.77 [1.34; 2.34]) and used SA methods "other than self-poisoning" (aOR = 1.34 [1.05; 1.7]). In the multivariate model, an association was found between SA and the contact tracing indicator with an 11 months delay, and the number of COVID-19 deaths with a 3-months delay. Conclusions: Findings confirmed a delayed increase in SA during the COVID-19 pandemic in children and adolescents as well as changes in patients' profiles. The duration and severity of the pandemic emerged as the strongest predictor in the rise of SA. If faced with a similar pandemic in the future, the gap between the onset of pandemic and the increase in suicide attempts presents an opportunity for prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
17532000
Volume :
18
Issue :
1
Database :
Complementary Index
Journal :
Child & Adolescent Psychiatry & Mental Health
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
178878448
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13034-024-00784-2