Suicidal Ideation and Death by Suicide as a Result of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Spanish-Speaking Countries: Systematic Review

J Clin Med. 2023 Oct 24;12(21):6700. doi: 10.3390/jcm12216700.

Abstract

Suicidal behaviors and constructs are putting at risk the accomplishment of Objective 3 of Agenda 2030 for sustainable development in Spanish-speaking countries. The current study's principal objective is to explain the presence of suicidal ideation and deaths by suicide as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in Spanish-speaking countries based on a review of the scientific literature. The PRISMA model was used as the main method while considering the criteria of periodicity, language, typology, and country in order to choose the 28 articles that were analyzed from the following three databases: SCOPUS, Web of Science, and ProQuest Coronavirus Research Database. Suicidal ideation and death by suicide exhibited a growth trend during the COVID-19 pandemic, including post-pandemic, especially in kids, adolescents, and young women of university age belonging to lower socioeconomic strata and presenting risk factors like living in rural areas, poor mental health, unemployment, and family death due to COVID-19.

Keywords: COVID-19; death by suicide; suicidal ideation; systematic review.

Publication types

  • Review

Grants and funding

This research received no external funding. The APC was funded by César Vallejo University.