Abstract

We analyzed 18 years (2007–2024) of suicide data from Japan's National Police Agency, which includes detailed information on reasons for suicide and sociodemographic characteristics of suicide decedents. Cases were classified as caregiving-related if the suicide was attributed to caregiver burden based on evidence gathered by the police. We compared the sociodemographic characteristics of caregiver-related suicide deaths to those of all suicide deaths during the same period.

Out of 455,474 suicide deaths over 18 years, 4914 (1.08 %) were identified as related to caregiver burden. On average, 273 individuals per year (SD = 52.96) died by suicide for caregiving-related reasons. These deaths were more likely to occur among women (41 % vs. 31 %), older individuals, and the unemployed (72 % vs. 57 %) compared to all suicide deaths, with all differences statistically significant (p < 0.001). Although most caregiver-related suicides occurred among older adults, young individuals also died by suicide due to caregiving burdens, including four under age 20 and 42 in their 20s.

This study offers important initial evidence on suicide deaths among informal caregivers. The findings underscore the urgent need to support caregivers and prevent caregiver-related suicides as a public health priority in aging societies.