Suicides among children, adolescents, and young adults during the COVID-19 pandemic - An analysis of police data from three German federal states

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic severely affected young people, resulting in increased psychological distress and rising prevalence rates for mental disorders. There is concern that completed suicides have increased in addition to the observed increase in suicide attempts. The study is based on the police crime statistics (01/2017 to 12/2022) of three federal states in Germany, representing 13% of Germany's overall population. Suicide counts and rates for the child, teenage, adolescent, and young adult age groups were compared between the pre-pandemic and pandemic periods using chi-squared tests. 860 people under age 30 died from suicide. Suicide rates did not differ between the pre-pandemic and pandemic periods in any of the age groups studied. So far, there has been no discernible increase in suicides among young Germans. Ongoing suicide monitoring is recommended.