Prevalence of Suicide and Self-harm During the Coronavirus 2019 Pandemic: A Systematic Review Study

Introduction: During the COVID-19 epidemic, many people around the world committed suicide and self- harm due to psychological disorders. For this purpose, studies on the prevalence of self-harm and suicide attempt during COVID-19 have been reviewed in the present study. Method: In this review study the following specialized keywords were searched between 2020 (May) and 2022 (January) in English databases such as Google Scholar, ISI, Scopus, Science Direct, and PubMed:   suicide, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts, self-harm, self-injury, self-harm deliberate, COVID-19. Results: The results showed that the prevalence of suicide (2%-71.9%) and self-harm (2%-47.6%) during COVID-19 has increased significantly compared to the past. Economic problems, young age, being a woman, unemployment, family problems, loneliness, and psychological distress were among the factors that aggravated self-harm and suicide attempt during COVID-19. In contrast, social support, resilience, psychological resilience, and spiritual health reduced suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Conclusion: According to the obtained results, lack of access to a psychologist was one of the important reasons for thoughts and behaviors related to self- harm and suicide during COVID-19 epidemic. For this reason, it is necessary for psychological centers, hospitals, and related organizations to take measures in order to increase tele-mental health services.