Self-reported self-harm and suicidal thoughts among Danish youth decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic
Several studies have shown that young adults’ mental health worsened during the COVID-19 lockdown, especially among young women. However, it is unclear whether this also led to an increase in self-harm, suicidal thoughts/attempts, and symptoms of eating disorders. Most previous studies have used health registries, which may be influenced by fewer patient contacts during lockdown.
The aim of this study was to examine whether the prevalence of self-harm, suicidal thoughts/attempts, and symptoms of eating disorders changed among young Danes (aged 19–23) before and after the COVID-19 lockdowns.
The study used both longitudinal data (n = 7,579) from the Danish birth cohort (Better Help in Generations), where the same young people were followed over time, and repeated cross-sectional data (n = 24,625), where different groups were examined before and after the lockdown.
The results showed that self-harm decreased among both women and men. Reported suicidal thoughts also declined among both women and men. Symptoms of eating disorders showed a slight downward trend among women, while no change was observed among men. Regarding suicide attempts, a small increase of 0.4 percent was observed among men, while no change was observed among women.
This study found no significant increase in self-harm, suicidal thoughts/attempts, or symptoms of eating disorders during the COVID-19 lockdowns in Denmark. On the contrary, the longitudinal data suggest a decline in self-harm and suicidal thoughts, especially among women. These results contrasts various international studies that reported increases. Differences in methodology, age, and characteristics of the lockdowns may explain this. The authors emphasize that health registries may underestimate the prevalence, and that self-reported data (as used here) provide a broader picture.
Despite concerns about the lockdown’s negative mental health impact on youth, this study does not suggest an increased risk of serious mental health problems such as self-harm, suicidal thoughts, or eating disorders among the young Danish population.