December 16, 2020

Racial Differences in Statewide Suicide Mortality Trends in Maryland During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic

Category: Article Summary

Topic: Mental Health and Personal Impact

Keywords (Tags): mental health personal impact

A study of suicide patterns in Maryland during the COVID-19 pandemic found that completed suicides approximately doubled in residents who identified as Black whereas completed suicides were approximately halved in white residents. The authors reached their conclusions by comparing medical examiner records from 2020 to records from 2017 to 2019. Population size did not change substantially between 2017 and 2019. The authors highlight the need for policy interventions and targeted resource allocation to mitigate disparities impacting Black residents. 

Bray et al. (Dec 16, 2020). Racial Differences in Statewide Suicide Mortality Trends in Maryland During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic. JAMA Psychiatry. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2020.3938