The U.S. suicide rate fell nearly 6 percent last year, the largest drop in four decades, despite lockdowns, deaths and other problems caused by the coronavirus pandemic, according to preliminary government data reviewed by The Associated Press.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), fewer than 45,000 suicides were reported last year, the lowest suicide rate in the US since 2015.
The Telegraphic Service notes that death certificates are still coming in, but officials expect the decline to continue.
The suicide rate in the US peaked in 2018, the highest rate since 1941 according to AP. The 2018 rate came after nearly two decades of a steadily increasing suicide rate starting in the early 2000s.
A slight decrease in the number of cases was recorded in 2019, which was attributed to increased mental health screening and other suicide prevention methods.
The reason for the 2020 decline is unclear, but an expert told the AP that it can be attributed to a common phenomenon seen in the early stages of natural disasters and wars.
“There is a heroism phase in every disaster period, where we unite and express a lot of support for being in this together,” Christine Moutier, chief medical officer of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, told the outlet. “You saw that, at least in the first months of the pandemic.”
Moutier said the decline may also be attributable to the availability of telehealth services.
However, Moutier said she would like to see the demographic distribution of suicides once reported by the CDC, saying it is possible that suicides may not have declined among youth and young adults.
“It is possible that we will see the full mental health implications of this pandemic,” Moutier told the outlet.
The news comes just days after a study from the Medical Journal of Lancet Psychiatry found that one in three COVID-19 survivors was diagnosed with psychological or neurological conditions six months after their infection.