Suicidological analysis of Moscow and Saint Petersburg in the context of the pandemic

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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Suicide mortality in Moscow and St. Petersburg — the two most populated federal cities of Russia — is not characterized enough. However, these cities have been mostly affected by the pandemic.

AIM: To analyze the latest trends in suicidal behavior in the historic capitals of Russia in an observational study, taking into account pandemic waves.

METHODS: The monthly numbers of suicides (date of death, sex, age, and method), and number of cases in Moscow (n=1558) and St. Petersburg (n=2077) from January 01, 2016, to September 30, 2021, were used to calculate frequencies per 100,000 and to analyze tendencies across sex and age groups. Statistics were based on Z-criterion, and confidence intervals were calculated as per Wilson.

RESULTS: Moscow and St. Petersburg belong to regions with suicide rates lower than the world average rates. Suicide mortality in both capitals was declining, but was more pronounced in Moscow. In St. Petersburg, the average rate was 3.28 higher, with 3.53 times in men and 2.84 times higher in women. The male-to-female ratio in St. Petersburg was also higher than that in Moscow (3.39:1 versus 2.87:1). In both cities, the highest rates were found among citizens aged >80 years, and the rates in young and adults (aged 20–49 years) are also high. Those aged 60–69 years have comparatively low rates. After a brief decline in the suicide rates during the first quarantine period in 2021, the decline in Moscow stopped, whereas in St. Petersburg, a gradual increase began, reaching significant levels among men in September. The most traditional method of self-harm (hanging) decreased, whereas the proportion of falls from a height increased (38.8% growth), as well as self-poisoning and self-cutting. A more detailed analysis of the “urban” method of suicide such as falling from a height revealed that in 2021, in St. Petersburg, a category of persons emerged among whom this method has grown dramatically (five times) in men aged >60 years.

CONCLUSIONS: Suicides among the urbanized population of the largest metropolitan areas in Russia during the pandemic demonstrate trends that raise concerns, and the structure of mortality and methods of self-harm are changing. Further monitoring and intensification of preventive measures are needed, especially in St. Petersburg.

About the authors

Vsevolod A. Rozanov

V.M. Bekhterev national research medical center for psychiatry and neurology; St Petersburg university

Email: v.rozanov@spbu.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-9641-7120
SPIN-code: 1978-9868
Scopus Author ID: 35977467700
https://psy.spbu.ru/department/teachers/1599-rozanov-va

Dr. Sci. (Med.), professor

Russian Federation, 6 naberezhnaja Makarova, 199034, Saint Petersburg; Saint Petersburg

Natalia V. Semenova

V.M. Bekhterev national research medical center for psychiatry and neurology

Email: mnoma@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-2798-8800
SPIN-code: 3552-1894

Dr. Sci. (Med.)

Russian Federation, 6 naberezhnaja Makarova, 199034

Alexandr Ja. Vuks

V.M. Bekhterev national research medical center for psychiatry and neurology

Email: ayavuks@bekhterev.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-6700-0609
SPIN-code: 2290-4021
Russian Federation, 6 naberezhnaja Makarova, 199034, Saint Petersburg

Victoria V. Freize

V.M. Bekhterev national research medical center for psychiatry and neurology

Email: v.freize@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-1677-0694
SPIN-code: 4407-6915
Russian Federation, 6 naberezhnaja Makarova, 199034, Saint Petersburg

Larisa V. Malyshko

V.M. Bekhterev national research medical center for psychiatry and neurology

Email: lora5497@yandex.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-5470-4359
SPIN-code: 5156-9223
Russian Federation, 6 naberezhnaja Makarova, 199034, Saint Petersburg

Georgy P. Kostyuk

Psychiatric hospital no. 1 named after N.A. Alexeev

Email: kgr@yandex.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-3073-6305
SPIN-code: 3424-4544

Dr. Sci. (Med.), professor

Russian Federation, Moscow

Vladimir D. Isakov

North-Western state medical university after I.I. Mechnikov, Saint Petersburg;
Bureau of forensic medical examination

Email: profivd@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-0093-1230
SPIN-code: 5388-8690

Dr. Sci. (Med.), professor

Russian Federation, 6 naberezhnaja Makarova, 199034, Saint Petersburg; Saint Petersburg

Orazmurad D. Yagmurov

Bureau of forensic medical examination

Email: oraz.yagmurov@gmail.com
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-0200-8474
SPIN-code: 7765-8978

Dr. Sci. (Med.), professor

Russian Federation, 6 naberezhnaja Makarova, 199034, Saint Petersburg

Alexandr G. Sofronov

North-Western state medical university after I.I. Mechnikov; Psychiatric hospital no. 3 named after I.I. Skvortsov-Stepanov

Email: alex-sofronov@yandex.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0001-6339-0198
SPIN-code: 4846-6528

Dr. Sci. (Med.), professor

Russian Federation, 6 naberezhnaja Makarova, 199034, Saint Petersburg; Saint Petersburg

Nikolay G. Neznanov

V.M. Bekhterev national research medical center for psychiatry and neurology; Pavlov university

Author for correspondence.
Email: nezn@bekhterev.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0001-5618-4206
SPIN-code: 9772-0024

Dr. Sci. (Med.), professor

Russian Federation, 6 naberezhnaja Makarova, 199034, Saint Petersburg; Saint Petersburg

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Supplementary files

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2. Fig. 1. Suicide frequencies per 100 000 per year in Moscow and St. Petersburg in 2016–2020 (CI 95%).

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3. Fig. 2. Suicide indexes for men and women stratified by age groups (per 100 000 in every age group) in Moscow and St. Petersburg for the whole observation period.

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4. Fig. 3. Suicide cases per month in Moscow and St. Petersburg for the whole observation period. Waves of the pandemic are marked with dotted arrows.

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5. Fig. 4. Suicide frequencies in Moscow and St. Petersburg per month from January 01 to September 30, 2021 in comparison with corresponding periods in 2016–2020, %

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6. Fig. 5. Falling from height cases in Moscow and St. Petersburg and proportions of falls in St. Petersburg by years and by age groups (* significant differences, p <0.05).

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Copyright (c) 2022 Rozanov V.A., Semenova N.V., Vuks A.J., Freize V.V., Malyshko L.V., Kostyuk G.P., Isakov V.D., Yagmurov O.D., Sofronov A.G., Neznanov N.G.

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