PreprintCited by 212COVID-19 epidemiological studiesSuicide and Self-Harm StudiesCOVID-19 and Mental Health

Impact of COVID-19 lockdown policy on homicide, suicide, and motor vehicle deaths in Peru.

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Calderon-Anyosa, Renzo JC, Kaufman, Jay S·2020·Preventive Medicine

Preprint — published as 10.1016/j.ypmed.2020.106331 · Paper page

Abstract

Introduction: Although lockdown measures to stop COVID-19 have direct effects on disease transmission, their impact on violent and accidental deaths remains unknown. Our study aims to assess the early impact of COVID-19 lockdown on violent and accidental deaths in Peru. Methods: Based on data from the Peruvian National Death Information System, an interrupted time series analysis was performed to assess the immediate impact and change in the trend of COVID-19 lockdown on external causes of death including homicide, suicide, and traffic accidents. The analysis was stratified by sex and the time unit was every 15 days. Results: All forms of deaths examined presented a sudden drop after the lockdown. The biggest drop was in deaths related to traffic accidents, with a reduction of 12.66 deaths per million men per month (95% CI: −15.56, −9.76) and 3.64 deaths per million women per month (95% CI:-5.25, −2.03). Homicide and suicide presented similar level drop in women, while the homicide reduction was twice the size of the suicide reduction in men. The slope in suicide in men during the lock-down period increased by 3.62 deaths per million men per year (95% CI:0.06, 7.18). No other change in slope was detected. Conclusions: Violent and accidental deaths presented a sudden drop after the lockdown was implemented and an increase in suicide in men was observed. Falls in mobility have a natural impact on traffic accidents, however, the patterns for suicide and homicide are less intuitive and reveal important characteristics of these events, although we expect all of these changes to be transient.

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  1. Gunnell D. Appleby L. Arensman E. Suicide risk and prevention during the COVID-19 pandemic Lancet Psychiatry 7 6 2020 468 471 10.1016/S2215-0366(20)30171-1 32330430 PMC7173821 · DOI · Paper page

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Authors
Calderon-Anyosa, R. J., & Kaufman, J. S.
Affiliations
McGill University (CA)
Corresponding author
Calderon-Anyosa, Renzo JC
Venue
Preventive Medicine
Publisher
openRxiv
Published
2020-07-14
Volume
143
Pages
106331-106331
ISSN
0091-7435 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W3110361800
Cited by
212
References
65
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 12 · 2024: 30 · 2023: 32 · 2022: 59 · 2021: 67 · 2020: 7
FWCI
6.59
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
cc-by-nc-nd
Locations
  • Preventive Medicine (publishedVersion)
  • medRxiv (acceptedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Mathematics › Modeling and Simulation › COVID-19 epidemiological studies
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Suicide and Self-Harm Studies
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › COVID-19 and Mental Health
Keywords
COVID-19 lockdown, homicide, suicide, traffic fatalities, traffic accidents, violent death, accidental death, external causes of death, sex differences, Peru, mobility reduction
MeSH terms
Accidents, Traffic, COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Adult, Age Factors, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Female, Homicide, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Peru, Population Surveillance, Quarantine, Sex Factors, Suicide

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