Abstract

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown may affect suicide risk and behavior. We compared suicide-related presentations during the national quarantine with pre-COVID data. This observational incidence study compared all suicide-related presentations at the University Hospital Reina Sofia emergency department (ED) in Cordoba, Spain, for the lockdown period from 15 March to 15 May 2020, with the same period in 2019. Descriptive and inferential analyses of case characteristics between 2019 and 2020 periods were conducted, and a multivariable logistic regression model developed. Results: Despite a decrease in overall ED cases during the lockdown, the number of suicide-related presentations stayed the same and represented a significantly larger proportion of cases in comparison to the pre-COVID period (0.42 vs. 0.87%, in 2019 and 2020, respectively; p < .001). The number presenting alone more than doubled during the COVID lockdown, increasing to 42.9% compared with 19.4% in 2019 (p = .002). An increase in presentations with a family history of suicide was also found. Conclusions: Suicide cases represented an increased proportion of ED cases during the lockdown. Presenting to ED alone, having a family history of suicide, habitual drug consumption, and hospital admission to ICU differentiated cases between pre and during COVID periods. These findings should be considered in light of the second wave and further implementation of lockdown measures.

摘要

COVID-19 大流行和封锁的影响可能会影响自杀风险和行为。我们将国家隔离期间与自杀相关的陈述与 COVID 之前的数据进行了比较。这项观察性发病率研究比较了西班牙科尔多瓦雷纳索非亚大学医院急诊科 (ED) 在 2020 年 3 月 15 日至 5 月 15 日封锁期间与 2019 年同期的所有自杀相关陈述。对 2019 年至 2020 年期间的病例特征进行了分析，并建立了多变量逻辑回归模型。结果：尽管在封锁期间，ED 病例总数有所减少，但与自杀相关的病例数量保持不变，并且与 COVID 之前的时期相比，病例的比例显着增加（2019 年和 2020 年分别为 0.42% 和 0.87% ,p  < .001)。在 COVID 锁定期间，仅出现的人数增加了一倍多，从 2019 年的 19.4% 增加到 42.9% ( p  = .002)。还发现有自杀家族史的病例有所增加。结论：在封锁期间，自杀案件占 ED 案件的比例增加。仅就诊于 ED、有自杀家族史、习惯性吸毒和住院 ICU 区分了 COVID 之前和期间的病例。应根据第二波和进一步实施封锁措施来考虑这些调查结果。