TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2021//
TI  - Suicidal ideation and thoughts of self-harm during the COVID-19 pandemic: the role of COVID-19-related stress, social isolation, and financial strain
JO  - Depression and anxiety
A1  - Elbogen, Eric B.
A1  - Lanier, Megan
A1  - Blakey, Shannon M.
A1  - Wagner, H. Ryan
A1  - Tsai, Jack
SP  - ePub
EP  - ePub
VL  - ePub
IS  - ePub
N2  - BACKGROUND: There are significant concerns about mental health problems occurring due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. To date, there has been limited empirical investigation about thoughts of suicide and self-harm during the COVID-19 pandemic. <br><br>METHODS: A national survey was conducted May 2020 to investigate the association between mental health symptoms, social isolation, and financial stressors during the COVID-19 pandemic and thoughts of suicide and self-harm. A total of 6607 US adults completed an online survey; survey criteria included an age minimum of 22 years old and reported annual gross income of $75,000 or below. Statistical raking procedures were conducted to more precisely weight the sample using US Census data on age, geographic region, sex, race, and ethnicity. <br><br>RESULTS: COVID-19-related stress symptoms, loneliness, and financial strain were associated with thoughts of suicide/self-harm in multivariable logistic regression analyses, as were younger age, being a military veteran, past homelessness, lifetime severe mental illness, current depressive symptoms, alcohol misuse, and having tested positive for COVID-19. Greater social support was inversely related to thoughts of suicide/self-harm whereas running out of money for basic needs (e.g., food), housing instability (e.g., delaying rent), and filing for unemployment or disability were positively related. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Public health interventions to decrease risk of suicide and self-harm in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic should address pandemic-related stress, social isolation, and financial strain experienced including food insecurity, job loss, and risk of eviction/homelessness.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 1091-4269
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/da.23162
ID  - ref1
ER  -