Suicídios avaliados sob a perspectiva da pandemia de Covid-19

Abstract

Background: Suicide is one of the main causes of death worldwide and after facing Covid-19, it is necessary to understand the impacts it has on society. Objective: To evaluate the cases of suicide recorded, in the period before and during the Covid19 pandemic, in the municipality of Barra do Garças – MT. Method: Descriptive, retrospective, observational and cross-sectional epidemiological study, about deaths registered as suicide by the Legal Medical Institute, from 2017 to May 2023. Results: The 45 registered cases occurred mostly in adults (84.4%), by males (77.8%) and during the middle of the week (60%). The incidence was 11.4 ± 5.2, with a peak of 20.3 in 2017. Mechanical asphyxia was the most common cause in both periods. There was a lower incidence during the pandemic compared to the previous period. However, the suicide rate among the elderly increased (16.7%), in addition to a decrease in cases among adults (77.8%). Conclusion: Thus, despite the pandemic having accentuated factors related to the occurrence of suicides, this was not observed in Barra do Garças. Knowledge of the profile of the pandemic in interior municipalities enables and supports the articulation of public health policies aimed at preventing suicide.