Government Spending, Recession, and Suicide: Evidence from Japan

Matsubayashi, Tetsuya; Sekijima, Kozue; Ueda, Michiko

doi:10.21203/rs.2.16528/v3

Cited by 8 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…wage subsidy, debt forbearance). 10,11 During the first five months of the COVID-19 pandemic, suicide rates in Japan were reported to have decreased. 12 This initial decrease in suicide rates was immediately followed by a significant increase in suicide exceeding baseline pre-COVID-19 rates, particularly in women and youth (i.e.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Suicide reduction in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic: lessons informing national prevention strategies for suicide reduction

et al. 2021

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Objective The objective of this research was to evaluate the impact of federal, public health and social support programs on national suicide rates in Canada. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting Canadian National Database (i.e., Statistics Canada) and Statista. Participants Population-level data, and economic and consumer market data. Main Outcome Measures Suicide mortality data, population data and unemployment data were obtained from available statistical databases (e.g. Statistics Canada). We quantified suicide rate by dividing the total number of suicide deaths by the national population expressed as a rate per 100,000 population. Results Overall suicide mortality rate decreased in Canada from 10.82 deaths per 100,000 in the March 2019 - February 2020 period to 7.34 per 100,000 (i.e. absolute difference of 1300 deaths) in the March 2020 - February 2021 period. The overall Canadian unemployment rate changed from an average monthly rate of 5.7% in 2019 to 9.5% in 2020. Conclusion Our results indicate that for the first post-pandemic interval evaluated (i.e., March 2020 - February 2021), suicide rates in Canada decreased against a background of extraordinary public health measures intended to mitigate community spread of COVID-19. An externality of public health measures was a significant rise in national unemployment rates in population measures of distress. Our results suggest that government interventions that broadly aim to reduce measures of insecurity (i.e., economic, housing, health), and timely psychiatric services, should be prioritised as part of a national suicide reduction strategy, not only during but after termination of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Suicide reduction in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic: lessons informing national prevention strategies for suicide reduction

et al. 2021

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“…It is a longstanding tenet of suicidology that suicide rates increase during economic crises ( Coope et al, 2015 ). Recently, analyses of countries adversely affected by the 2008 Global Financial Crisis have shown clear population-level associations between the effects of economic recession and suicide rates ( Coope et al, 2015 ; Laanani et al, 2015 ; Matsubayashi et al, 2020 ; Sinyor et al, 2017 ). This has commonly been attributed to a number of specific outcomes of recessions which impact individuals’ lives: increased unemployment and job insecurity ( Kawohl and Nordt, 2020 ; Laanani et al, 2015 ); decreased earnings and increased debt (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Financial distress and suicidal behaviour during COVID-19: Family identification attenuates the negative relationship between COVID-related financial distress and mental Ill-health

Stevenson

Wakefield

2021

J Health Psychol

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COVID-19 provides a ‘perfect storm’ of social and economic suicide risk-factors. Recent research has evidenced an initial impact of the pandemic upon suicide rates, but has yet to understand how elevated financial threat and social isolation may predict suicide ideation/behaviour, or which social factors promote resilience. This study addressed these shortcomings. An online longitudinal survey study ( N = 370) which took place from May to September 2020 showed COVID-related financial distress predicts suicidal thoughts and behaviour via increased depression and loneliness. Family identification attenuates these relationships. Our findings reaffirm the importance of social factors in reducing mental ill-health outcomes of economic crises.

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“…An estimate of the impact of the COVID-19 recession forecasts a 3.3% to 8.4% increase in suicide rate in the US 42 . However, previous research also shows that policy responses and governmental expenditures may be able to mitigate the impact of unemployment and economic crises on suicide rates 41,43 .…”

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confidence: 99%

Adaptation of evidence‐based suicide prevention strategies during and after theCOVID‐19 pandemic

et al. 2020

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Suicide is preventable. Nevertheless, each year 800,000 people die of suicide in the world. While there is evidence indicating that suicide rates de‐crease during times of crises, they are expected to increase once the immediate crisis has passed. The COVID‐19 pandemic affects risk and pro‐tective factors for suicide at each level of the socio‐ecological model. Economic downturn, augmented barriers to accessing health care, increased access to suicidal means, inappropriate media reporting at the societal level; deprioritization of mental health and preventive activities at the community level; interpersonal conflicts, neglect and violence at the relationship level; unemployment, poverty, loneliness and hopelessness at the individual level: all these variables contribute to an increase of depression, anxiety, post‐traumatic stress disorder, harmful use of alcohol, substance abuse, and ultimately suicide risk. Suicide should be prevented by strengthening universal strategies directed to the entire population, including mitigation of unemployment, poverty and inequalities; prioritization of access to mental health care; responsible media reporting, with information about available support; prevention of increased alcohol intake; and restriction of access to lethal means of suicide. Selective interventions should continue to target known vulnerable groups who are socio‐economically disadvantaged, but also new ones such as first responders and health care staff, and the bereaved by COVID‐19 who have been deprived of the final contact with loved ones and funerals. Indicated preventive strategies targeting individuals who display suicidal behaviour should focus on available pharmacological and psychological treatments of mental disorders, ensuring proper follow‐up and chain of care by increased use of telemedicine and other digital means. The scientific community, health care professionals, politicians and decision‐makers will find in this paper a systematic description of the effects of the pandemic on suicide risk at the society, community, family and individual levels, and an overview of how evidence‐based suicide preventive interventions should be adapted. Research is needed to investigate which adaptations are effective and in which con‐texts.

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Government Spending, Recession, and Suicide: Evidence from Japan

Cited by 8 publications

References 24 publications

Suicide reduction in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic: lessons informing national prevention strategies for suicide reduction

Suicide reduction in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic: lessons informing national prevention strategies for suicide reduction

Financial distress and suicidal behaviour during COVID-19: Family identification attenuates the negative relationship between COVID-related financial distress and mental Ill-health

Adaptation of evidence‐based suicide prevention strategies during and after theCOVID‐19 pandemic

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