Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Suicidal Behavior in Romania

Vuscan, Mihaela Elvira; Buciuta, Andrei; Vică, Mihaela Laura; Bâlici, Ştefana; Rusu, Sergiu Ionica; Siserman, Costel Vasile; Coman, Horia; Matei, Horea

doi:10.1080/13811118.2021.2022052

Cited by 7 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…In terms of suicide methods, our findings that the proportion of suicides by hanging increased contrasts with the decreases recorded in hanging in a study from Romania 23 and in suffocation (largely hanging) in the US. 24 However, our findings that suicide by poisoning declined are consistent with US findings.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 99%

Police-reported suicides during the first 16 months of the COVID-19 pandemic in Ecuador: A time-series analysis of trends and risk factors until June 2021

Gerstner

Narvaez

Leske

et al. 2022

The Lancet Regional Health - Americas

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 99%

Police-reported suicides during the first 16 months of the COVID-19 pandemic in Ecuador: A time-series analysis of trends and risk factors until June 2021

Gerstner

Narvaez

Leske

et al. 2022

The Lancet Regional Health - Americas

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“…An impact on mental health during COVID-19 was also described in a study in Cluj County, Romania, where the overall suicide rate remained the same, but the number of suicides related to substance-use disorders decreased [ 36 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Completed Suicide Linked to the COVID-19 Pandemic by Using the Psychological Autopsy Method in Sibiu County, Romania: Case Series and Literature Review

et al. 2022

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The COVID-19 pandemic is associated with suicide, as some data suggests. Our study aims to investigate the emergence of eleven completed suicide cases suspected to be linked to the COVID-19 pandemic during the restrictive measures imposed by the Romanian government, and to identify the consequences of mental health, suicidal motivation, and behavioral changes. To this end, we analyzed the deceased’s medical records and applied the psychological autopsy method to the relatives/caregivers of the deceased for a suicidal investigation history, within conducted free-flow discussions. To highlight behavioral changes that occurred in the distant antecedents as well as immediately before the suicidal act, we used two sets of closed questions comprised of fifteen alarm signs, including depressive and/or anxiety symptoms. Our results showed that a deterioration of the mental status, especially concerning depressive and anxiety symptoms, was evident in people without or with pre-existing psychiatric pathology. The suicidal motivation proved to be complex including, in addition to the SARS-CoV-2 infection, social and economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. We noted an intensification of the investigated alarm signs and even the emergence of new warning signs in the recent antecedents. Based on our findings, we reaffirmed the important role of the psychological autopsy method in suicide investigation, proving that it can detect the specific impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people prone to suicide. This impact can be psycho-emotional, social, and/or economical, and thus we can state that the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences can be, at least, a triggering factor that enhances completed suicide risk. Further studies are needed in this particular area because correlations between the COVID-19 pandemic and completed suicide do not appear to be accidental.

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“…Another study [27] suggested COVID-19 susceptibility roles for HLA-A*03, HLA-B*39 and HLA-C*16 and a protective role for HLA-A*32. The impact of the COVID-19 on suicide rates has been reflected in various studies [28][29][30].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Association of HLA class II alleles with suicidal behavior in a Transylvanian population

Vuscan

Vică

Bâlici

et al. 2023

Revista Romana De Medicina De Laborator

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Background: Suicide is a complex phenomenon determined by the interaction of various risk factors. The Major Histocompatibility Complex is the most polymorphic gene cluster of the entire human genome, being linked to both the regulation of the immune system and various psychiatric diseases. The aim of this study was to identify HLA-DQB1 and DRB1 alleles and genotypes susceptible to influence suicidal behavior. Methods: We explored the association of HLA-DQB1 alleles with the suicidal behavior on a sample of 427 individuals (including 110 suicide attempters) from Transylvania, as well as the association of HLA-DRB1 alleles with the suicidal behavior on a sample of 271 individuals (including 50 suicide attempters), using the single specific primer-PCR (SSP-PCR) technique. Results: We found that the HLA-DQB1*02, *03 and *06 alleles, the DQB1*02/*03, DQB1*02/*06, DRB1*12/*15 and DRB1*07/*13 genotypes, as well as the DQB1*06~DRB1*07 and DQB1*02~DRB1*13 haplotypes, were more frequent in suicide attempters. In contrast, the HLA-DQB1*04 and DQB1*13 alleles, the DQB1*02/*05 and DQB1*03/*05 genotypes and the DQB1*03~DRB1*13 haplotype were less frequent in the case group. Conclusion: HLA-DQB1*02, *03 and *06 alleles and the DQB1*02/*03 and *02/*06 genotypes are susceptible to favor a suicide behavior, while the HLA-DQB1*04 and *13 alleles and the DQB1*02/*05 and *03/*05 genotypes were protective against such behavior. A similar analysis regarding the HLA-DRB1 alleles detected a possible risk for suicidal behavior among individuals possessing either the DRB1*12/*15 or the DRB1*07/*13 genotypes. DQB1*06~DRB1*07 and DQB1*02~DRB1*13 haplotypes were found susceptible to favor a suicidal behavior, while DQB1*03~DRB1*13 exhibited a protective influence.

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Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Suicidal Behavior in Romania

Cited by 7 publications

References 25 publications

Police-reported suicides during the first 16 months of the COVID-19 pandemic in Ecuador: A time-series analysis of trends and risk factors until June 2021

Police-reported suicides during the first 16 months of the COVID-19 pandemic in Ecuador: A time-series analysis of trends and risk factors until June 2021

Completed Suicide Linked to the COVID-19 Pandemic by Using the Psychological Autopsy Method in Sibiu County, Romania: Case Series and Literature Review

Association of HLA class II alleles with suicidal behavior in a Transylvanian population

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