Investigating Changes in the Prevalence of Suicide Attempts Among Children and Adolescents During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Single-Center Study at the Psychiatric Emergency Room of a Tertiary Hospital in Iran
| Author | Ashraf Tashakori | en |
| Author | Forough Riahi | en |
| Author | Puria Ayati | en |
| Orcid | Ashraf Tashakori [0000-0002-1699-2644] | en |
| Orcid | Forough Riahi [0000-0001-7667-4974] | en |
| Orcid | Puria Ayati [0009-0005-3886-6103] | en |
| Issued Date | 2026-06-30 | en |
| Abstract | Background: Contradictory findings have been reported regarding suicide rates among children and adolescents (C&A) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Objectives: This study examined potential changes in the prevalence of suicide attempts during the COVID-19 pandemic among C&A referred to the emergency department. It also analyzed the data by sex, age group, and suicide method. Methods: In this retrospective cross-sectional study, data were collected for all patients aged 18 years or younger who visited the psychiatric emergency room of Ahvaz Golestan Hospital between March 2017 and March 2023. The medical records of all patients aged 18 years or younger who were referred for suicide attempts were reviewed. Data were summarized using descriptive statistics. The chi-square test, Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, t-test, and analysis of variance were used. A significance level of < 5% was considered. Results: A total of 52 patients who attempted suicide (48.1% boys and 51.9% girls), with a mean age of 14.98 ± 1.73 years, were referred during the study period. The prevalence of suicide attempts ranged from 4.16% to 11.92%. The highest prevalence (11.92%) occurred from March 2020 to March 2021. The prevalence of suicide attempts was higher among girls before the pandemic and increased among boys during the pandemic. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of suicide attempts before versus during the pandemic. The most common method was hanging. The year of suicide attempt was not significantly associated with age, sex, or suicide method. Conclusions: There was no significant difference in the prevalence of suicide attempts before versus during the pandemic. The year of suicide was not significantly associated with age, sex, or suicide method. | en |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.5812/ijpbs-167722 | en |
| URI | https://brieflands.com/journals/ijpbs/articles/167722 | en |
| Keyword | Adolescent | en |
| Keyword | Child | en |
| Keyword | COVID-19 | en |
| Keyword | Psychiatric Emergency Service | en |
| Keyword | Suicide | en |
| Publisher | Brieflands | en |
| Title | Investigating Changes in the Prevalence of Suicide Attempts Among Children and Adolescents During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Single-Center Study at the Psychiatric Emergency Room of a Tertiary Hospital in Iran | en |
| Type | Research Article | en |
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