Citation

Kurita J, Sugawara T, Ohkusa Y. J. Disaster Res. 2022; 17(1): 51-56.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, Fuji Technology Press)

DOI

10.20965/jdr.2022.p0051

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Countermeasures against COVID-19 outbreak, such as lockdowns and voluntary restrictions against going out, adversely affect human stress and depress economic activity. Particularly, this stress might lead to suicide. Object: We examined excess mortality attributable to COVID-19 related suicide.

METHOD: We applied the National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID) model to suicide deaths, by gender, throughout Japan during October 2009-January 2021. Effects of the great earthquake that struck eastern Japan on March 11, 2011 were incorporated into the estimation model.

RESULTS: Significant excess mortality from suicide was found during July-January for both genders. Its frequency was higher among females than among males. In total, 2276 cases of excess mortality were identified.

DISCUSSION and Conclusion: Excess mortality during the four months was more than twice that of COVID-19 deaths confirmed by PCR testing. Countermeasures against COVID-19 should be chosen carefully in light of suicide effects.

Language: en

Keywords

COVID-19; excess mortality; NIID model; stochastic frontier estimation; suicide