Changes in the characteristics of suicide in Japan in the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic and the importance of continued suicide prevention measures.
Changes in the characteristics of suicide in Japan in the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic and the importance of continued suicide prevention measures.
复制标题
COVID-19大流行第三年日本自杀特征的变化以及持续自杀预防措施的重要性。
DOI：
10.1177/00258024231165432
复制
发表时间：
2023
期刊：
影响因子：
1.5
通讯作者：
et al.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Inoue K;et al.
根据日本警察厅的一份报告，2009年和2010年，日本每年的自杀总人数分别从32845人下降到31690人，2019年下降到20169人。尽管自杀人数连续10年下降，但在2020年（2019冠状病毒病大流行的第一年），自杀人数增加到21081人，并在2021年保持在21007人的高位。日本男性自杀人数从2009年到2010年分别下降了23472人和22283人，到2021年下降到13939人，连续12年下降。在女性中，从2011年到2012年（9696名、8585名）、2017年（6495名），每年都有所减少，但从2018年（6550名）到2019年（6091名）、2020年（7026名）、2021年（7068名），连续2年保持在7000名左右。2020年，也就是日本新冠肺炎大流行的第一年，“年轻人”、“女性”的自杀率有所上升，“主要动机尚不清楚”。2在2019冠状病毒病大流行的第二年，即2021年，日本“年轻人”和“女性”的自杀率也出现了类似的增长。3根据国家警察厅报告的初步数据，4在2019冠状病毒病大流行的第三年，即2022年，日本每年的自杀人数总计为21,584人，比2021年增加了577人。2020年和2021年新冠肺炎合并年度平均自杀人数保持在2.1万人左右，比2019年有所增加。这一趋势仍在继续，有迹象表明，2022年的移民人数将比前两年有所增加。在男性中，2022年的自杀人数为14543人，比2021年增加了604人。尽管自2010年以来（包括2020年和2021年），男性每年的自杀人数有所下降，但这一数字现在出现了13年来的首次上升。在日本女性中，2022年有7041人自杀，比2021年略有下降，但自2020年以来，在大流行期间，每年的自杀人数保持在7000人左右。另据报道，2022年日本“40 - 60岁的中年男性”、“失业者和退休人员”的自杀率也有所上升。4 .日本的国家和地方政府已经通过向公众支付费用和向企业提供财政援助等支持措施来应对自杀率的上升，但我们推测，上述自杀率的上升可能是由于COVID-19大流行第三年期间实施的限制所造成的社会和经济困难。失业和经济困难导致的自杀率上升以及与这些问题相关的中年男性自杀率上升是显而易见的。换句话说，与2020年和2021年相比，2022年（新冠肺炎大流行的第三年）日本中年男性的自杀率和失业人员的自杀率都有所增加。此外，已经注意到养老金领取者自杀率的增加，如果这种趋势继续下去，将来可能会出现老年人自杀率的增加。还需要采取措施防止年轻人和女性自杀。鉴于2019冠状病毒病大流行的影响在数年内不断加深，日本的自杀人数不断增加，有必要提供和实施进一步的综合措施来预防自杀。
According to a report from the National Police Agency, 1 the total annual number of suicides in Japan decreased during the years 2009 and 2010 from 32,845 to 31,690, respectively, and then to 20,169 in 2019. Although the number of suicides had decreased each year for 10 consecutive years, in 2020 (the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic), the number increased to 21,081 and remained high in 2021 at 21,007. The annual number of suicides among males in Japan decreased from 2009 to 2010 (23,472 and 22,283, respectively) and then to 13,939 in 2021, reflecting the decrease that occurred for 12 consecutive years. Among females, although the annual number of decreased from 2011 to 2012 (9,696 and 8,585, respectively) and then to 6,495 in 2017, the number increased in 2018 (to 6,550) and remained at 6,091 in 2019, 7,026 in 2020, and 7,068 in 2021, and it has remained at∼ 7,000 for 2 years. During 2020, the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan, there was an increase in suicide by ‘younger people’,‘females’, and where ‘the primary motive was unclear’. 2 During the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic, 2021, there was a similar increase in suicide by ‘younger people’and ‘females’ in Japan. 3 According to preliminary figures in a report from the National Police Agency, 4 the annual number of suicides in Japan during the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic, 2022, totaled 21,584, representing an increase of 577 suicides from the number in 2021. The mean annual number of suicides for the combined COVID years 2020 and 2021 remained at around 21,000, representing an increase from the 2019 value. That trend has continued, and there have been signs of an increase in 2022 from the prior two years. Among males, the 2022 number of suicides was 14,543, representing an increase of 604 suicides from the 2021 value. Although the annual number of suicides among males had decreased since 2010, including the COVID years 2020 and 2021, this number has now increased for the first time in 13 years. Among females in Japan, there were 7,041 suicides in 2022, representing a slight decrease from the 2021 value, but the annual number of suicides has remained at∼ 7000 during the pandemic since 2020. It was also reported that there was an increase in suicide in Japan in 2022 by “middle-aged males in their 40s–60s” and “the unemployed and pensioners.” 4 The national and prefectural governments in Japan have responded to these increases in suicide with support such as disbursements to the public and financial assistance to businesses, but we speculate that the above-described increases in suicides may be due to the social and economic difficulties of restrictions imposed during the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic. An increase in suicide due to unemployment and economic hardships and an increase in suicide by middle-aged males related to those problems are evident. In other words, there has been an increase in suicide among middle-aged males and an increase in suicide by the unemployed in Japan in 2022 (the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic) compared to 2020 and 2021. In addition, an increase in suicide by pensioners has been noted, and if this trend continues, an increase in suicides among the elderly may occur in the future. Measures to prevent suicide by younger people and females are also required. In light of the deepening impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic over a period of several years and the increasing number of suicides in Japan, it is necessary to provide and implement further comprehensive measures to prevent suicides.