Suicidality and COVID-19: Data from an Emergency Setting in Italy

Suicidality is a widespread phenomenon with a dramatic burden worldwide. The Coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic determined a relevant impact on mental health, due to the infection itself and its socio-economic consequences. The present study is aimed at analyzing the prevalence of suicidality during the Covid-19 pandemic among subjects requiring a psychiatric consultation in an emergency setting.

Socio-demographic and clinical information was collected at the emergency department of the General Hospital of Perugia from June 1^st, 2020 to January 31^st, 2021. Data was entered into an electronic datasheet and retrospectively analysed. Pearson's bivariate correlation was performed in order to assess significant associations between suicide-related variables and specific socio-demographic and clinical features (p<0.05).

Among 447 subjects included in the analysis, 109 (24.4%) showed suicidality-related phenomena, particularly suicide attempts (SA) (n=44, 9.8%), suicidal ideation (SI) (n=41, 9.2%), non suicidal self-injury (NSSI) (n=31, 6.9%), that in some cases co-occurred. A statistically significant association was detected between NSSI and living with marital family (p=0.024) and between suicidality-related phenomena and adjustment disorders (p=0.018). None of the examined subjects reported a previous positivity for Covid-19 and neither did their relatives.

The present study confirms the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on suicide-related phenomena. Consultation psychiatry fulfills a key role in the early detection and clinical management of these conditions, that require targeted intervention strategies.