Temporal trends in calls for suicide attempts to poison control centers in France during the COVID-19 pandemic: a nationwide study

Abstract

Concerns have been raised about early vs. later impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on suicidal behavior. However, data remain sparse to date. We investigated all calls for intentional drug or other toxic ingestions to the eight Poison Control Centers in France between 1st January 2018 and 31st May 2022. Data were extracted from the French National Database of Poisonings. Calls during the study period were analyzed using time trends and time series analyses with SARIMA models (based on the first two years). Breakpoints were determined using Chow test. These analyses were performed together with examination of age groups (≤ 11, 12–24, 25–64, ≥ 65 years) and gender effects when possible. Over the studied period, 66,589 calls for suicide attempts were received. Overall, there was a downward trend from 2018, which slowed down in October 2019 and was followed by an increase from November 2020. Number of calls observed during the COVID period were above what was expected. However, important differences were found according to age and gender. The increase in calls from mid-2020 was particularly observed in young females, while middle-aged adults showed a persisting decrease. An increase in older-aged people was observed from mid-2019 and persisted during the pandemic. The pandemic may therefore have exacerbated a pre-existing fragile situation in adolescents and old-aged people. This study emphasizes the rapidly evolving situation regarding suicidal behaviour during the pandemic, the possibility of age and gender differences in impact, and the value of having access to real-time information to monitor suicidal acts.

Trends and characteristics of attempted and completed suicides reported to general practitioners before vs during the COVID-19 pandemic in France: Data from a nationwide monitoring system, 2010–2022

“…In Japan and France, a decrease of SAs or CSs during the first months of the pandemic followed by an increase in young females has been reported [ 7 , 20 ]. Similar results were reported from the French poison control center data [ 28 ]. Studies conducted by Public Health France in a representative sample of the French adult general population reported high rates of depression, anxiety, sleep problems, and suicidal ideas during the first two years of the pandemic at levels superior to the pre-COVID period.…”

“…In France, an increase in hospitalization for self-harm was found in adolescent girls, notably between January 2021 and August 2021, while middle-aged adults showed a decrease [ 20 ]. An increase in calls to the poison control center from mid-2020 to May 2020 was also observed in young females, and in in older-aged people [ 28 ]. Younger individuals and students were particularly affected by the altered school calendar during the pandemic [ 7 , 49 ] and significant disruptions in their social environment [ 50 , 51 ].…”

“…Its remains at lower level than expected until August 2021 [ 20 ]. On the contrary, the number of calls for intentional drug or other toxic ingestions to the French poison control centers were above what was expected during the COVID period [ 28 ]. These studies reported differences according to age and gender, with young females being particularly affected by the persistance of the pandemic.…”

Adverse effect of lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic: increased incidence of pediatric crisis admissions due to eating disorders and adolescent intoxications

“…With the current data, further sub-classification is not possible. Both decreases and increases in self-harm presentations during the pandemic have been described in the literature [ 19 , 20 ], and both were associated with lockdown stringency [ 21 ]. Our findings of an increased incidence have also been reported by Jollant et al, who reported a significant increase in intentional self-harm after the first months of the pandemic in France [ 20 ].…”

“…Both decreases and increases in self-harm presentations during the pandemic have been described in the literature [ 19 , 20 ], and both were associated with lockdown stringency [ 21 ]. Our findings of an increased incidence have also been reported by Jollant et al, who reported a significant increase in intentional self-harm after the first months of the pandemic in France [ 20 ]. There was no overall increase in intoxications in children aged < 12, usually associated with accidental intoxications [ 12 ].…”