[Suicide in the police crime statistics]

[Suicides among children, adolescents, and young adults during the COVID-19 pandemic - An analysis of police data from three German federal states]

OBJECTIVE

The COVID-19 pandemic severely affected young people, resulting in increased psychological distress and rising prevalence rates for mental disorders. There is concern that completed suicides have increased in addition to the observed increase in suicide attempts.

METHOD

The study is based on the police crime statistics (01/2017 to 12/2022) of three federal states in Germany, representing 13% of Germany's overall population. Suicide counts and rates for the child, teenage, adolescent, and young adult age groups were compared between the pre-pandemic and pandemic periods using chi-squared tests.

RESULTS

860 people under age 30 died from suicide. Suicide rates did not differ between the pre-pandemic and pandemic periods in any of the age groups studied.

CONCLUSION

So far, there has been no discernible increase in suicides among young Germans. Ongoing suicide monitoring is recommended.

Suicide trends in Germany during the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine

AIMS

The later phase of the COVID-19 pandemic overlaps with geopolitical and economic consequences from the Ukraine war. Financial hardship and concerns about gas supply may add to pandemic factors and lead to increased suicide rates in Germany.

METHODS

Age- and sex-stratified suicide data from police crime statistics covering 35 % of the German population were used for an interrupted time-series analysis and for a projection of total German suicides in 2022.

RESULTS

For both sexes, a trend reversal from constant or declining suicide rates to an increase was observed. This increase is particularly pronounced in 2022 and mainly relates to the 60+ age group that is highly vulnerable to suicide. The projection of the overall German suicide rate is at a level last observed in 2015.

CONCLUSIONS

The key challenge now is to combat potential causes of this rise in suicide rates to avert the emerging upward trend.