Adult Suicide-Related emergency department encounters during the COVID-19 Pandemic: a Cross-Sectional study

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic resulted in widespread psychosocial disruption, which may impact suicidal thoughts and behaviours. This study characterizes adult suicide-related emergency department (ED) encounters and patient characteristics during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 compared to the year prior. Methods: Retrospective cross-sectional study in a large, integrated, community-based health system of adults (>= 18-years-old) with suicide-related ED encounters (defined by the Centres for Disease Control-recommended International Statistical Classification of Diseases [ICD-10-CM] codes) during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the same period in 2019. Population-level incidence rate ratios (IRRs) compared suicide-related ED encounters in 2020 to 2019. Patient characteristics for the first suicide-related ED visit for each period were used to calculate percent relative change comparing 2020 to 2019. Findings: Of 10,651 suicide-related ED encounters in 2020 and 11,476 in 2019, 49.6% and 51.6% were for females and the mean age was 38 +/- 17 and 38 +/- 16 years-old, respectively. Suicide-related ED encounters significantly declined in each month of 2020 (IRR 0.71-0.91, p<.05), but were equivalent to 2019 levels June-August. Adults in 2020 were more likely to have co-occurring substance use disorders (+15.7%; 95% CI 7.0-24.4%) or have no mental health or suicide diagnosis associated with an outpatient visit in the last year (+21.1%, 95% CI: 12.5-29. 6) compared to 2019. Interpretation: Adults with suicidal thoughts and behaviours during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 had distinct social and psychiatric characteristics compared to patients in the prior year. These findings can help inform health system responses to mental health needs. (c) 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Automated summary

Suicide-related emergency department encounters declined in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, but reached 2019 levels in June-August; compared to 2019, patients in 2020 were more likely to have co-occurring substance use disorders or lack mental health or suicide diagnoses associated with outpatient visits.