COVID-19 and suicides in India: A pilot study of reports in the media and scientific literature

Mahima Panigrahi; Jigyansa Ipsita Pattnaik; Susanta Kumar Padhy; Vikas Menon; Suravi Patra; Kumari Rina; Subhransu Sekhar Padhy; Binod Patro

doi:10.1016/j.ajp.2021.102560

COVID-19 and suicides in India: A pilot study of reports in the media and scientific literature

Asian J Psychiatr. 2021 Mar:57:102560. doi: 10.1016/j.ajp.2021.102560. Epub 2021 Jan 13.

Authors

Mahima Panigrahi¹, Jigyansa Ipsita Pattnaik², Susanta Kumar Padhy³, Vikas Menon⁴, Suravi Patra³, Kumari Rina³, Subhransu Sekhar Padhy⁵, Binod Patro⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Community Medicine, Institute of Medical Sciences & SUM Hospital, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, 7510003, India.
² Department of Psychiatry, St John's National Academy of Health Sciences, Bengaluru, Karnataka, 560034, India.
³ Department of Psychiatry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bhubaneswar, Odisha, 751019, India.
⁴ Dept. of Psychiatry, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry, 605006, India. Electronic address: drvmenon@gmail.com.
⁵ Dept of Critical Care Medicine, Institute of Medical Sciences & SUM Hospital, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, 7510003, India.
⁶ Department of Community Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bhubaneswar, Odisha, 751019, India.

Abstract

Background: Our objective was to analyze reports of COVID-19 related suicides (CRS) to identify associated factors with a broader goal to inform management and prevention strategies.

Methods: We searched scientific literature, government websites and online newspaper reports in English and nine regional languages to identify relevant CRS reports.

Results: A total of 151 CRS reports were retrieved. CRS was more frequently reported among males (80.8%), those whose COVID status was unknown (48.0%), and those in quarantine/isolation (49.0%).

Conclusion: The above findings may assist identification of at-risk individuals for COVID-19 related suicidal behavior.

Keywords: Asia; COVID-19; India; Self-Harm; Suicide; Suicide prevention.

MeSH terms

Adult
Aged
COVID-19* / prevention & control
Databases, Bibliographic / statistics & numerical data*
Female
Humans
India / epidemiology
Male
Middle Aged
Newspapers as Topic / statistics & numerical data*
Physical Distancing*
Pilot Projects
Quarantine / statistics & numerical data*
Sex Factors
Suicide / statistics & numerical data*
Television / statistics & numerical data*