![]() ![]() At the same time, hundreds of thousands experienced loss of a loved one to COVID-19 (Verdery et al. A high percentage of adults had trouble paying bills or rent due to the pandemic (Pew Research Center 2020), and most became more socially isolated (Abelson 2021). Many people lost employment or had to leave jobs to caretake for children or family members. Non-essential businesses, such as bars, fitness clubs, and some stores, were ordered to close, and residents were asked to “shelter-in-place” at home. On March 19, 2020, California went under a stay-at-home order in response to the COVID-19 pandemic (Office of Governor Gavin Newsom 2020). Recent social, economic, and environmental stressors may have affected the burden of and disparities in suicide. From 2010 to 2020, more than 480,000 people nationally died by suicide, the majority by firearm suicide. Suicide is significant public health problem and a leading cause of death in the United States (USA). Public health intervention and policy action are necessary to prevent fatal self-harm injuries and reduce related inequities. Marginalized racial groups and younger people experienced increased risk for suicide, particularly involving a firearm. ![]() The COVID-19 pandemic and co-occurring stressors coincided with heterogeneous changes in risk of suicide across the California population. The proportion of suicides that involved a firearm in 20 decreased in rural areas compared to prior years, while there were modest increases in urban areas. Females, people aged 20 to 29, and Black Californians had the largest increase in the likelihood of using a firearm in suicide following the onset of the pandemic. ![]() Firearm suicide also decreased following the onset of the pandemic, but relatively less than overall suicide as a result, the proportion of suicides that involved a firearm increased (from 36.1% pre-pandemic to 37.6% in 2020 and 38.1% in 2021). Conversely, Black Californians and young people (age 10 to 19) experienced increased burden and rates of suicide. The decrease in counts was driven largely by males, white, and middle-aged Californians. We compared case counts and rates in 20 with 2017–2019 averages. We used California-wide death data to summarize suicide and firearm suicide across race/ethnicity, age, education, gender, and urbanicity. In this study, we examined changes in counts and rates of suicide in California across sociodemographic groups during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic relative to prior years. The coinciding surge in firearm purchasing may have increased risk for firearm suicide. In 20, stressors wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic, stay-at-home mandates, economic turmoil, social unrest, and growing inequality likely modified risk for self-harm. ![]() Suicide is a major public health problem with immediate and long-term effects on individuals, families, and communities. ![]()
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