Self-harm rates, clinical contact and risks of suicide and early death before, during and after the COVID-19 peak: cohort study of linked health data

COVID-19大流行可能对自杀产生深远影响。自我伤害的人，例如故意中毒或伤害自己，自杀的风险特别高。因此，重要的是要了解大流行如何影响自残率。到目前为止，信息来自选择对调查作出答复的人，而不是来自一般民众。我们的目标是找出：- 疫情如何影响自残率-因精神疾病而被处方药物的可能性，以及有自残行为的患者被全科医生转介接受精神健康治疗的可能性-进一步自残和自杀的风险疫情对人们的影响各不相同，因此我们将按年龄组、性别、种族、现有精神或身体疾病以及社会剥夺来研究差异。这项研究将使用与死亡信息相关的匿名健康记录，为英格兰约1100万患者提供服务。该研究将涵盖大流行高峰期之前、期间和之后的时期，包括截至2020年8月。调查结果将迅速分享，并在研究博客上传达关键信息。研究小组还将举办网络研讨会，与当地和国家自杀预防小组和卫生服务部门分享和讨论研究结果。

The COVID-19 pandemic could have a profound impact on suicide. People who have self-harmed, for example by intentionally poisoning or injuring themselves, have particularly high risks of suicide. Therefore, it is important to understand how the pandemic has affected rates of self-harm. So far, information has come from people who have chosen to respond to surveys, rather than from the general population. We aim to find out: - how the pandemic has affected rates of self-harm - likelihood of being prescribed medication for mental illness and being referred for mental health treatment by GPs for patients who have self-harmed- risks of further self-harm and suicide The pandemic has affected people differently so we will examine differences by age group, gender, ethnic group, existing mental or physical illness and social deprivation. This research will use anonymous health records, linked to information on deaths, for around 11 million patients in England. The study will cover the periods before, during and after the peak of the pandemic, including up to August 2020. The findings will be shared rapidly, with key messages communicated on the study's blog. The research team will also host a webinar to share and discuss findings with local and national suicide prevention team and health services.