Natural Disasters Found to Cause Higher Suicide Rates Among Survivors

Earthquakes, floods and hurricanes cause suicide rates to climb among grieving and stressed survivors, researchers report in today’s New England Journal of Medicine.

“Overall, the suicide rate increased by 13.8% during the four years after a severe natural disaster,” the research team led by Dr. Etienne G. Krug of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta found.

Among the disaster victims likely to attempt suicide are those who are injured or lose family members, friends, property and jobs.

The researchers noted that “mental health support is needed after severe disasters” and that the duration of that support should depend on the type of disaster. Although the suicide rate was highest immediately after earthquakes and hurricanes, it did not peak among flood victims until four years after the disaster.