Based on previous experience there is justifiable concern about suicidal behaviour and news media reporting of it during COVID-19 pandemic. This study used a systematic search of online news media reports (versions of newspapers, magazine and other digital publications) of suicidal behaviour during India’s COVID-19 lockdown and compared it to corresponding dates in 2019. Data was gathered using a uniform search strategy from 56 online news media publications 24 March to 3 May for the years 2019 and 2020 using keywords, suicide, attempted suicide, hangs self and kills self. Demographic variables and methods used for suicide were compared for suicide and attempts between the 2 years using chi-squared tests (χ2). There were online news media reports of 369 cases of suicides and attempted suicides during COVID lockdown vs 220 reports in 2019, a 67.7% increase in online news media reports of suicidal behaviour. Compared to 2019, suicides reported during lockdown were significantly older (30 vs 50 years, p < 0.05), men (71.2% vs 58.7%; p < 0.01), married (77.7% vs 49%; p < 0.01) and employed (82.9% vs 59.5%; p < 0.01). During the lockdown, significantly more suicides were by hanging (64.4% vs 42%), while poisoning (8.5% vs 21.5%) and jumping in front of a train (2% vs 9.4%) (p < 0.05) were significantly reduced. Comparison of COVID and non-COVID groups showed that online news media reports of COVID cases of suicide and attempted suicide were significantly more likely to be men (84.7% vs 60.4%; p < 0.01), older (31–50 years 52.9% vs 25.8%; p < 0.01) employed (91.5% vs 64.3%; p < 0.01), had poor mental (40.1% vs 20.8%; p < 0.01) and poor physical health (24.8% vs 7.9%;11.8, p < 0.01). Increase in online news media reports of suicides and attempts during COVID-19 lockdown may indicate an increase in journalists’ awareness about suicide or more sensational media reporting or may be a proxy indicator of a real community increase in suicidal behaviour. It is difficult to attribute changes in demographic profile and methods used only to changes in journalists’ reporting behaviour and should be further explored. We therefore call upon the Government of India to urgently release national suicide data to help devise a comprehensive suicide prevention strategy to address COVID-19 suicidal behaviour.

中文翻译：

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印度 COVID-19 封锁期间新闻媒体对自杀和自杀未遂报道的分析

根据以往的经验，人们对 COVID-19 大流行期间的自杀行为和新闻媒体的报道存在合理的担忧。这项研究对印度 COVID-19 封锁期间自杀行为的在线新闻媒体报道（报纸、杂志和其他数字出版物的版本）进行了系统搜索，并将其与 2019 年的相应日期进行比较。数据是使用统一的搜索策略从 56 个国家收集的。 2019年和2020年3月24日至5月3日在线新闻媒体出版物使用关键词“自杀”、“自杀未遂”、“上吊自杀”和“自杀”。使用卡方检验 (χ2) 比较 2 年内自杀和企图自杀的人口统计变量和方法。新冠疫情封锁期间，网络新闻媒体报道了 369 起自杀和自杀未遂案件，而 2019 年为 220 起，网络新闻媒体报道的自杀行为增加了 67.7%。与 2019 年相比，封锁期间报告的自杀者年龄明显较大（30 岁 vs 50 岁，p < 0.05）、男性（71.2% vs 58.7%；p < 0.01）、已婚（77.7% vs 49%；p < 0.01）和就业者（ 82.9% 与 59.5%；p < 0.01）。封锁期间，上吊自杀的人数显着增加（64.4% vs 42%），而中毒自杀（8.5% vs 21.5%）和在火车前跳下自杀（2% vs 9.4%）（p < 0.05）则显着减少。比较新冠病毒和非新冠病毒群体表明，在线新闻媒体报道的新冠自杀和自杀未遂病例中男性（84.7% vs 60.4%；p < 0.01）、年龄较大（31-50 岁 52.9% vs 25.8%；p < 0.01）有工作（91.5% vs 64.3%；p < 0.01），精神状况不佳（40.1% vs 20.8%；p < 0.01），身体健康状况不佳（24.8% vs 7.9%；11.8，p < 0.01） ）。在 COVID-19 封锁期间，在线新闻媒体对自杀和企图自杀的报道增加，可能表明记者对自杀的认识有所提高，或者媒体报道更加耸人听闻，或者可能是社区自杀行为真正增加的一个代理指标。很难将人口统计资料和仅使用的方法的变化归因于记者报道行为的变化，应该进一步探讨。因此，我们呼吁印度政府紧急发布全国自杀数据，以帮助制定全面的自杀预防策略，以解决 COVID-19 自杀行为。