Suicide, recession, and unemployment – Authors' reply

Reeves, Aaron; Stuckler, David; Gunnell, David; Chang, Shu Sen; Basu, Sanjay

doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(13)60574-7

Cited by 11 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…This would be consistent with a countercyclical oscillation of suicides and a procyclical oscillation of deaths due to physical ailments such as heart attacks, respiratory diseases, or physical injuries. However, some investigations on suicides in European countries found suicides oscillating procyclically, increasing in expansions, in Finland (Hintikka et al, ) and in Germany (Neumayer, ), and unrelated to the business cycle in Sweden (Tapia Granados & Ionides, ), and there has been disagreement on whether suicides in the Baltic states have increased significantly during the Great Recession (Reeves et al, ; Reeves et al, ; Stankunas et al, ). In our investigation, the increase in suicides associated with higher levels of unemployment is not statistically significant in most models and samples.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Population health and the economy: Mortality and the Great Recession in Europe

Granados

Ionides

2017

Health Economics

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We analyze the evolution of mortality-based health indicators in 27 European countries before and after the start of the Great Recession. We find that in the countries where the crisis has been particularly severe, mortality reductions in 2007-2010 were considerably bigger than in 2004-2007. Panel models adjusted for space-invariant and time-invariant factors show that an increase of 1 percentage point in the national unemployment rate is associated with a reduction of 0.5% (p < .001) in the rate of age-adjusted mortality. The pattern of mortality oscillating procyclically is found for total and sex-specific mortality, cause-specific mortality due to major causes of death, and mortality for ages 30-44 and 75 and over, but not for ages 0-14. Suicides appear increasing when the economy decelerates-countercyclically-but the evidence is weak. Results are robust to using different weights in the regression, applying nonlinear methods for detrending, expanding the sample, and using as business cycle indicator gross domestic product per capita or employment-to-population ratios rather than the unemployment rate. We conclude that in the European experience of the past 20 years, recessions, on average, have beneficial short-term effects on mortality of the adult population.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Population health and the economy: Mortality and the Great Recession in Europe

Granados

Ionides

2017

Health Economics

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“… 68 Moreover, Reeves et al clearly stated that unemployment is only one of the factors that increase suicide in a recession, with others, such as the rise in personal debt and mortgage foreclosures (which occur before rises in unemployment), also affecting mental health. 69 …”

Section: Relationships Among Mental Health and Unemployment Debt Anmentioning

confidence: 99%

The true cost of the economic crisis on psychological well-being: a review

Hal¹

2015

PRBM

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The recent economic crisis has led to many negative consequences, not the least having to do with the mental health and well-being of the populations involved. Although some researchers say it is still too early to speak about a relationship between the economic crisis and a rise in mental health problems resulting in suicides, there is solid evidence for the existence of such a relationship. However, several moderating or mediating mechanisms can also play a role. The main reactions of most policy makers to the economic crisis are (severe) austerity measures. These measures seem to have, however, a detrimental effect on the mental health of the population: Just when people have the highest need for mental help, cost-cutting measures in the health care sector lead to a (substantial) drop in the supply of services for the prevention, early detection, and cure of mental health problems. Policy makers should support moderating mechanisms such as financial and psychological coping and acculturation and the role of primary health care workers in the early detection of suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts, and suicide in times of economic recession. Several examples show that the countries best off regarding the mental health of their populations during the economic crisis are those countries with the strongest social safety net. Therefore, instead of cutting back on health care and social welfare measures, policy makers should in the future invest even more in social protection measures during economic crises.

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“…27 As predicted by Stuckler and colleagues, studies in Italy, the United Kingdom, and some other European countries have observed that, unlike Spain, there has been a reversal of the downward trend in the suicide rate concurrent with increasing unemployment. 19,[28][29][30][31] Suicidal events are probably just the tip of the iceberg; these data are likely to underestimate the broader mental health crisis linked to increased rates of stress, anxiety, and depression among populations who are most vulnerable to economic volatility.…”

Section: Recession and Health In Europementioning

confidence: 99%

Health protection in times of economic crisis: Challenges and opportunities for Europe

McDaid

Quaglio

Campos

et al. 2013

J Public Health Pol

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STOA, the European Parliament's technology assessment body, and the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies recently organised a workshop on the impacts of the economic crisis on European health systems. Evidence of the impact of the recent financial crisis on health outcomes is only just beginning to emerge. Data suggests that this latest recession has led to more frequent poor health status, rising incidence of some communicable diseases, and higher suicide rates. Further, available data are likely to underestimate the broader mental health crisis linked to increased rates of stress, anxiety, and depression among the economically vulnerable. Not only does recession affect factors that determine health, but it also affects the financial capacity to respond. Many European governments have reduced public expenditure on health services during the financial crisis, while introducing or increasing user charges. The recession has driven structural reforms, and has affected the priority given to public policies that could be used to help protect population health. The current economic climate, while challenging, presents an opportunity for reforming and restructuring health promotion actions and taking a long-term perspective.

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Suicide, recession, and unemployment – Authors' reply

Cited by 11 publications

References 8 publications

Population health and the economy: Mortality and the Great Recession in Europe

Population health and the economy: Mortality and the Great Recession in Europe

The true cost of the economic crisis on psychological well-being: a review

Health protection in times of economic crisis: Challenges and opportunities for Europe

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