Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Adolescent Self-Harm: Based on a National Emergency Department Information System

Abstract

Republic of Korea’s suicide rate is the highest among Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development countries. In Republic of Korea, suicide is the leading cause of death among young people aged 10–19 years. This study aimed to identify changes in patients aged 10–19 years who visited the emergency department in Republic of Korea after inflicting self-harm over the past five years and to compare the situations before and after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Analysis of government data revealed that the average daily visits per 100,000 were 6.25, 8.18, 13.26, 15.31, and 15.71 from 2016 to 2020, respectively. The study formed four groups for further analysis, with the population divided by sex and age (10–14 and 15–19 years old). The late-teenage female group showed the sharpest increase and was the only group that continued to increase. A comparison of the figures 10 months before and after the outbreak of the pandemic revealed a statistically significant increase in self-harm attempts by only the late-teenage female group. Meanwhile, visits (per day) in the male group did not increase, but the rates of death and ICU admission increased. Additional studies and preparations that account for age and sex are warranted.