TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2021//
TI  - Emergency dispatches for suicide attempts during the COVID-19 outbreak in Okayama, Japan: a descriptive epidemiological study
JO  - Journal of epidemiology
A1  - Habu, Hiroshi
A1  - Takao, Soshi
A1  - Fujimoto, Ryohei
A1  - Naito, Hiromichi
A1  - Nakao, Atsunori
A1  - Yorifuji, Takashi
SP  - ePub
EP  - ePub
VL  - ePub
IS  - ePub
N2  - BACKGROUND: Hardships associated with the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic can affect mental health, potentially leading to increased risk of suicide. We examined the relationship between the COVID-19 outbreak and suicide attempts in Okayama, Japan using information from emergency dispatches. <br><br>METHODS: This was a descriptive epidemiological study. We collected information on emergency dispatches in Okayama City and Kibichuo from March to August in 2018, 2019 and 2020 (n = 47,770 cases). We compared emergency dispatches and their demographic characteristics, especially focusing on suicide attempts, during these 3 years. <br><br>RESULTS: The number of emergency dispatches in 2020 decreased compared with the previous 2 years, while the number and proportion of emergency dispatches related to suicide attempts increased. This increase was more pronounced among women and those aged 25-49 years. Among women aged 25-49 years, there was a cumulative total of 43 suicide attempts in 2018 and 2019 and 73 suicide attempts in 2020. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: The number and proportion of emergency dispatches related to suicide attempts increased in 2020 compared with the previous 2 years, especially among women and those aged 25-49 years. This increase may be partly explained by hardships such as economic losses or reduced social ties during the COVID-19 outbreak.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0917-5040
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.2188/jea.JE20210066
ID  - ref1
ER  -