The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Suicide Attempts in Kerman Province: An Interrupted Time Series Analysis.

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on global suicide attempt rates. This study evaluated the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on suicide attempts in the Kerman Province, eastern Iran.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional study. Data on suicide attempt cases in Kerman Province was obtained from the database of Mental, Social, and Addiction Health Office of the Deputy for Health of Medical Sciences Universities from 2018 to 2021. An interrupted time-series model was used to assess the changes in suicide attempts before and after the pandemic.

Results: Suicide attempts exhibited a decreasing trend before the pandemic, with a monthly decrease of 0.9% (P<0.001). The immediate effect of the pandemic indicated that, at the beginning of the pandemic, there was a 4.5% increase in suicide attempts (P=0.134). The sustained effect of the pandemic showed that in the months following the onset of the pandemic, the rate of suicide attempts increased by 1.8% compared to before the pandemic (P<0.001). By the end of 2021, the number of suicide attempts per month exceeded the predicted amount based on pre-pandemic data. Factors such as marital status, education, occupation, place of residence, and previous suicide attempts were found to influence suicide attempts during the pandemic.

Conclusion: Given the significant increase in suicide attempts following the onset of the pandemic, it is crucial to prioritize the implementation of prevention and intervention programs during this crisis.