key: cord-1020275-0zwrfsm8
authors: Elbogen, Eric B; Lanier, Megan; Montgomery, Ann Elizabeth; Strickland, Susan; Wagner, H Ryan; Tsai, Jack
title: Financial Strain and Risk of Suicide in the Wake of the COVID-19 Pandemic
date: 2020-07-22
journal: Am J Epidemiol
DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwaa149
sha: 77c5096f54d03bdc32ad187280902adbd82487f0
doc_id: 1020275
cord_uid: 0zwrfsm8

nan

We agree with the commentary (1) that findings from our paper (2) Policymakers addressing the COVID-19 pandemic should bolster socioeconomic wellbeing through job creation, housing relief, and financial education and examine how the stimulus package Congress passed provides financial stability and lessens adverse health outcomes.

National hotlines could assist Americans with financial emergencies and raise awareness regarding the link between suicidality and financial strain from job loss, homelessness, and debt.

Findings from our paper (e.g., those who lost their jobs were ten times more likely to attempt suicide in the following three years than those who retained employment) emphasize the risk associated with economic distress (2) and should be communicated to the public. Consistent with conclusions from the commentary (1), these will be critical steps to lower financial burden and thereby help prevent the added tragedy of suicide in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Reckoning with the relation between stressors and suicide attempts in a time of Covid

Financial strain and suicide attempts in a nationally representative sample of US adults

Vital signs: trends in state suicide rates States, 1999-2016 and circumstances contributing to suicide

Risk f A meta-analysis of 50 years of research