Contact with primary health care prior to suicide is common even in the final month before death. The findings presented in this study highlight the importance of placing suicide prevention strategies and interventions within the primary health care setting.

Background Self-report data on mental distress indicate a deterioration of population mental health in many countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. A Norwegian epidemiological diagnostic psychiatric interview survey was conducted from January to September 2020, allowing for comparison of mental disorder and suicidal ideation prevalence from before through different pandemic periods. Prevalence of suicide deaths were compared between 2020 and 2014–2018. Methods Participants from the Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT) in Trondheim were recruited through repeated probability sampling. Using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI 5.0) ( n = 2154), current prevalence of mental disorders and suicidal ideation was examined in repeated cross-sectional analyzes. Data on suicide deaths was retrieved from the Norwegian Cause of Death Registry and compared for the months March to May in 2014–2018 and 2020. Findings Prevalence of current mental disorders decreased significantly from the pre-pandemic period (January 28th to March 11th 2020; 15•3% (95% CI 12•4–18•8)) to the first pandemic period (March 12th – May 31st; 8•7% (6•8–11•0)). Prevalences were similar between the pre-pandemic period and the interim (June 1st July 31st; 14•2% (11•4–17•5)) and second periods (August 1st-September 18th; 11•9% (9•0–15•6)). No significant differences were observed in suicidal ideation or in suicide deaths. Interpretation Except for a decrease in mental disorders in the first pandemic period, the findings suggest stable levels of mental disorders, suicidal ideation and suicide deaths during the first six months of the COVID-19 pandemic compared to pre-pandemic levels. Potential methodological and contextual explanations of these findings compared with findings from other studies are discussed. Funding None.

Not only children born late preterm, but also those born early term, are at increased risk for communication impairments. Given the large number of children potentially affected, this may result in significant health care costs.

No abstract

BackgroundRecent findings has shown that late preterm births (gestational weeks 34–36) and early term births (gestational weeks 37–38) is associated with an increased risk of several psychological and developmental morbidities. In this article we investigate whether late preterm and early term births is associated with an increased risk of emotional and behavioral problems at 36 months of age and whether there are gender differences in risk of these outcomes.MethodsForty-three thousand, two hundred ninety-seven children and their mothers participating in the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (MoBa). One thousand, eight hundred fifty-three (4.3%) of the children in the sample were born late preterm and 7,835 (18.1%) were born early term. Information on gestational age and on prenatal and postnatal risk factors was retrieved from the Medical Birth Registry of Norway. Information on emotional and behavioral problems was assessed by standardized questionnaires (CBCL/ITSEA) filled out by the mothers. Gender-stratified logistic regression analyses were used to explore the association between late preterm / early term and emotional and behavioral problems at 36 months of age.ResultsWe found a gender-specific increased risk of emotional problems in girls born late preterm (OR 1.47 95%CI 1.11–1.95) and in girls born early term (OR 1.21 95%CI 1.04–1.42). We did not find an increased risk of emotional problems in boys born late preterm (OR 1.09 95%CI 0.82–1.45) or early term (OR 0.93 95%CI 0.79–1.10). Behavioral problems were not increased in children born late preterm or early term.ConclusionGirls born late preterm and early term show an increased risk of emotional problems at 36 months of age. This finding suggests that gender should be taken into account when evaluating children born at these gestational ages.