Mental Health and Social Disparities in Suicide Risk in 2017 and 2022: An Analysis of Repeated Cross-Sectional Surveys in Czechia

BACKGROUND: Evidence suggests increased suicide risk amidst recent social and macroeconomic disruptions. However, prior research has mainly focused on mental health-related risk factors, paying less attention to social determinants of suicide risk. METHODS: = 3,063), we examined disparities in suicide risk across a wide range of marginalization dimensions, including mental-health-related, social, and demographic factors. To assess secular changes in suicide risk, we estimated prevalence rates, risk ratios, and relative change in risk difference. We also examined the perception of structural barriers to mental healthcare among these vulnerable groups in 2022. RESULTS: Individuals with mental health conditions had substantially elevated suicide risk in 2017, and, except for people with alcohol use disorders, these groups experienced larger increases in suicide risk between 2017 and 2022 than their counterparts without these conditions. Socially disadvantaged groups showed considerably increased suicide risk in 2017, and these social disparities remained stable over time. By contrast, older adults and people with primary education were at higher suicide risk in 2017, albeit not in 2022. Separately, mental health conditions, young age, and low income were associated with greater levels of perceived structural barriers to mental healthcare. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate persisting social inequalities and widening of mental health-related disparities in suicide risk. This evidence underscores the complex role of mental health-related, social, and economic factors in shaping suicidal ideation and behaviors, highlighting the need for targeted, multi-sectoral approaches to suicide prevention and intervention.