Comparison of suicide attempts among nationally representative samples of Mexican adolescents 12 months before and after the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic

Background: There is serious concern over the increase in mental health problems during the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic. Methods: Based on data from two Mexican National Health and Nutrition Surveys conducted in 2018-2019 and 2020 (n = 17,925 and 4,913, respectively), we estimated the prevalence of suicide attempts among adolescents 10-19 years old in the previous year. We constructed a multivariate logistic regression model adjusted by sociodemographic characteristics and contextual variables for the Covid-19 pandemic. Results: The prevalence of suicide attempts in the previous year was similar in both surveys. We found that women, youth in urban localities and individuals living in households where a family member had lost her/his job as a result of the Covid-19 contingency were more likely to attempt suicide compared to their counterparts. On the other hand, attending classes online proved to be a protective factor (aOR=0.3, 95% CI=0.1, 0.8, p = 0.022). Limitations: The principal limitation of our study concerned the restricted size of our sample for the 2020 survey wave. Conclusions: Population-level policies aimed at providing economic protection and helping youth to return to school would exert a favorable impact on the mental health and suicidal behavior of youths.

Automated summary

Based on data from two Mexican National Health and Nutrition Surveys, this study found that during the Covid-19 pandemic, women, youth in urban areas, and individuals whose family members lost their jobs were more likely to attempt suicide. On the other hand, attending classes online was found to be protective against suicide attempts. The study suggests that population-level policies focusing on economic protection and educational support for youth can have a positive impact on their mental health and suicidal behavior.