Suicide deaths in south and south-east districts of Delhi during pre- and post-COVID-19 period - A comparative analysis.

Background: Suicides are among the leading causes of death in the world and pose a major public health challenge. Mental health issues intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic, causing an increase in the number of suicides globally. Contributory factors included social isolation, loneliness, unemployment, grief due to loss of family, fear of death, and financial stress.

Aim: To assess the pattern of suicide deaths following the COVID-19 pandemic as compared to pre-COVID-19 in the South and South-east districts of Delhi.

Materials and methods: Pre-COVID-19 suicide data were reviewed from April 2017 to March 2020. We collected data from police inquest papers, medical records, and the evaluation of autopsy reports. Post-COVID-19 data for suicide deaths were collected from April 2020 and March 2023. The close relatives of the deceased were interviewed using a standardized proforma. Data were analyzed using STATA version 16.

Results: A total of 1435 and 1462 suicide deaths were reported in the pre- and post-COVID-19 pandemic period, respectively. Suicide deaths among males were significantly higher in the post-COVID-19 period (P = 0.001). The place of suicide was non-residence in a significantly higher number of suicide deaths during the post-COVID-19 period (P = 0.001), while there was no significant difference in terms of alcohol use (P = 0.249), and physical illness (P = 0.28) during pre- and post-COVID-19 period. The most common cause of death was hanging both in the pre-COVID-19 (93.91%) and post-COVID-19 (95.5%) period.

Conclusion: There was no significant difference in the number of suicide deaths pre- and post-COVID pandemic. A significantly higher rate among males, non-residence as the place of suicide, and history of psychiatric illness was found in the post-COVID-19 period.