Citation

Ramchand R, Colpe L, Claassen C, Brinton S, Carr C, McKeon R, Schoenbaum M. Am. J. Public Health 2021; 111(Suppl 2): S84-S88.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, American Public Health Association)

DOI

10.2105/AJPH.2021.306258

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

COVID-19 and the precautionary measures put in place to prevent its spread have given rise to concerns about second-order mental health effects, including potential increases in suicide. Researchers have pointed out historic associations between the individual and combined effects of economic stress, social isolation, and decreased access to community supports on suicide rates. 1 The United States has also observed increases in the sale of firearms 2 and alcohol 3 --factors known to exacerbate suicide risk. After the May 2020 release of a video of George Floyd's death, there were reports of elevated distress among Black and African American people, 4 which raised further concerns.

In response, the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention convened representatives from private and public sectors to create the Mental Health & Suicide Prevention National Response to COVID-19 (National Response). The first goal of the National Response was to identify strategic priorities to transform mental health awareness and suicide prevention nationwide. These priorities were published online in September 2020 at www.nationalmentalhealthresponse.org. This editorial discusses the fourth of these priorities: "Establish near real-time data collection systems to promptly identify changes in rates of suicide, overdose, and other key events, and of clusters or spikes in these outcomes." We describe how the National Response has crafted a path forward for achieving the goal of near real-time mortality data with seven specific calls to action. Although this editorial focuses on mortality data, the priority area also emphasizes the importance of near real-time data on nonfatal suicide-related events (i.e., suicide attempts), with more information available at www.nationalmentalhealthresponse.org...

Language: en