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Abstract
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Dear Editor:
The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically changed life circumstances worldwide. Among the many negative health effects are concerns about increasing risk of suicide. Suicide risk may increase due to the anxiety, depression and sleep disturbance arising out of social isolation in quarantine; economic stress and unemployment; fear of contracting the disease; physical and mental suffering from those who do contract the disease and their family members; stigma toward patients with COVID-19 and their families; and domestic strife and violence [[1], [2], [3], [4], [5]].
Self-immolation is among the most lethal methods for suicide, and it is estimated that up to 27% of suicide attempts in developing countries are performed via self-immolation [6]. Young married women living in rural areas of the Middle East and South Asia are the most common victims [7]. One oft-cited factor leading to these women's suicides is family conflict, which arises largely out of traditional cultural practices whereby newly-married young women move to live with their husband and his extended family [[8], [9], [10]].
During the global quarantines required by COVID-19, family quarrels and domestic violence have increased [11,12]. It seems natural to hypothesize these increases in domestic conflict may lead to increasing self-immolation rates among women, especially given the concurrent emotional, economic and mental health challenges they may be facing.
We recommend multi-faceted strategies for prevention...
Language: en |