According to the World Health Organization, suicide is among the leading causes of death worldwide, with more than one in every 100 deaths (1.3%) in 2019 as a result of suicide. The COVID-19 pandemic increased challenges around mental healthcare, adding new levels of complexity and difficulty.
Understanding suicide mortality requires a deep understanding and analysis of available population data and studies. Dennis Barnes, 69É«ÇéƬ Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer and 69É«ÇéƬX Chief Executive Officer, moderated the session around this critical topic, including the evolving impact from COVID. He was joined by his colleagues Erin Crump, Vice President of Business Initiatives, and Scott Rushing, Vice President and Actuary, Head of Risk and Behavioral Science, who spoke about key data surrounding the topic of suicide and some of the trends and analysis their teams are currently exploring.
In addition, John MacBeth, CEO of TryCycle Data Systems, shared his insights and experience, particularly on his recent work with a youth suicide prevention program for Indigenous communities in Canada.