Psychiatry Grand Rounds: Strategies for Preventing Suicide During COVID and Beyond

Suicide was declared a public health crisis by the U.S. Surgeon General in 1999. However, suicide rates continued to climb over the past two decades by a staggering 35% (1999-2018). Fortunately, we have seen decreases in the national suicide rates from 2018-2020. The pandemic is a major focus of public health concern and has elevated distress and mental health suffering, however, the suicide rate in the US decreased by 3% from 2019 to 2020. Data for 2021 is not yet available and; there are reasons for concern for particular populations during the pandemic; the long term impact on suicide rates may be seen over a longer timeframe.

There are important positive changes occurring in the national dialog reflective of pro-mental health culture change; shedding stigma must be accompanied by a deeper understanding of mental health literacy. There are several science-informed, evidence-based strategies to reduce suicide risk, both through the public health approach for an entire population, as well as clinical interventions for patient care. As the science of suicide and prevention has been growing rapidly over the past two decades, these prevention strategies and targeted ways to better identify risk must be translated and disseminated for greatest impact.

This talk will discuss recent epidemiological and cultural trends in suicide prevention in the United States and efficacious clinical interventions to reduce suicide risk.