Suicide Mortality Variations in Mexico During the COVID‐19 Pandemic: An Age, Sex and Regional Analysis

ABSTRACT To assess the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on suicide deaths in Mexico between 2020 and 2022. Data were obtained from the Mexican Ministry of Health website, covering national mortality data from 2015 to 2022. Suicide rates were analyzed across different age groups using time series data, and excess mortality during the pandemic years (2020–2022) was calculated. Using the endemic channels technique, we determined the expected number of suicides for the period 2014–2019. Subsequently, the number of observed deaths in each week is compared with the expected number. Between 2015 and 2019, Mexico reported an annual median of 6274 suicide deaths, with a rate of 5.12 per 100,000 inhabitants. During the pandemic years, 81.3% of suicide deaths occurred in men, and this proportion was similar before the pandemic. In general, suicide deaths increased by 26.1%, with significant variations across age groups. The age group 18–39 exhibited the highest excess mortality rate, followed by the 40–49 and 50–59 age groups. Weekly suicide deaths showed a continuous upward trend throughout the pandemic years. In performing a regional level analysis, the higher excess of suicides includes several Norteast and one Central states of Coahuila, Nuevo Leon, Tamaulipas, and San Luis Potosí (excess rate of 6.01). The COVID‐19 pandemic increased the suicide mortality rates in Mexico, with notable increases observed across all studied age groups.