South Kent News

Michigan Sen. Peter MacGregor (R-Rockford) is warning his constituents that the COVID-19 pandemic could lead to increased health concerns, and one Michigan study found that increased suicide rates could be one of those health concerns.

"There are multiple health concerns that need to be considered going forward -- including mental health," MacGregor said on Facebook.

Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Service conducted a study, which found that there could be a 32% increase in suicides due to negative effects from the coronavirus, such as job loss and isolation, according to The Detroit News. 

The organization is asking for more awareness in "the availability of services and the importance of seeking these services now before mental health and substance use disorder issues escalate," The Detroit News reported.

"We decided to dive in and say, how do we prepare as a behavioral health system, and how can we prepare as a state for what might be coming based on the kind of clues ahead?" Mark Eastburg, Pine Rest president and chief executive officer, told The Detroit News. 

Eastburg said the organization doesn't have all the data or information, but when looking at countries already coming out of the pandemic, like China, the study considered how it affected people, especially when it comes to to suicides. Looking at these past examples can help paint a picture for what the U.S. can expect.

Scott Halstead, the vice president for outpatient and recovery services for Pine Rest, said that it's situations like this that put a lot of stress on people. 

"When people are wondering how they are going to pay their rent this month, those are big deals," he told The Detroit News. "You've got financial problems. You've got just fear, so people are under a great deal of stress. They might feel helpless, powerless to make any changes in their circumstances. They may have loved ones who are sick or who are at high risk."

Eastburg told The Detroit News that there is typically a 1 to 1.3% increase in suicide for every 1% increase in unemployment. During the coronavirus pandemic, there has been a tremendous increase in unemployment.

"We actually hope our report is wrong. We hope that the surge of mental health concerns is not as great as some of our models would be predicting," Eastburg told the Detroit News. "But we think it's best to be prepared and best mobilize whatever resources we can right now."