TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2022//
TI  - Excess mortality by suicide caused by COVID-19 in Japan
JO  - Journal of disaster research
A1  - Kurita, Junko
A1  - Sugawara, Tamie
A1  - Ohkusa, Yasushi
SP  - 51
EP  - 56
VL  - 17
IS  - 1
N2  - BACKGROUND: Countermeasures against COVID-19 outbreak, such as lockdowns and voluntary restrictions against going out, adversely affect human stress and depress economic activity. Particularly, this stress might lead to suicide. Object: We examined excess mortality attributable to COVID-19 related suicide. <br><br>METHOD: We applied the National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID) model to suicide deaths, by gender, throughout Japan during October 2009-January 2021. Effects of the great earthquake that struck eastern Japan on March 11, 2011 were incorporated into the estimation model. <br><br>RESULTS: Significant excess mortality from suicide was found during July-January for both genders. Its frequency was higher among females than among males. In total, 2276 cases of excess mortality were identified. <br><br>DISCUSSION and Conclusion: Excess mortality during the four months was more than twice that of COVID-19 deaths confirmed by PCR testing. Countermeasures against COVID-19 should be chosen carefully in light of suicide effects.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 1881-2473
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.20965/jdr.2022.p0051
ID  - ref1
ER  -