The association between pandemic-era unemployment rates and suicide rates in April 2020 among working-age adults in the United States

OBJECTIVE: This study seeks to assess whether April 2020 suicide rates were associated with unemployment during that month, the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic unemployment. METHODS: Data on suicide deaths among working-age adults in April 2020 were obtained from the National Violent Death Reporting System and matched with unemployment rates for March and April 2020. Poisson regression was used to examine associations between suicide rates and unemployment rates and changes in unemployment rates. RESULTS: In April 2020, each 1-percentage-point increase in the unemployment rate was associated with a 3.3% higher suicide mortality rate (95% CI: 2.4%, 4.2%). A 1-percentage-point increase in the occupational unemployment rate from March to April 2020 was associated with a 2.5% higher suicide mortality rate (95% CI: 1.4%, 3.7%). CONCLUSIONS: Increases in unemployment rates in April 2020 may have contributed to elevated suicide mortality rates.