Effect of Income Growth and Unemployment on Suicide Rate
I. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Suicide, an act of intentionally causing one's own death, ranks as the tenth leading cause of death worldwide. According to the World Health Organization, over one million people die by suicide every year. Furthermore, there are an estimated 10 to 20 million non-fatal attempted suicides every year worldwide. This phenomenon is even more compelling because, in many instances, suicides can be prevented. Policy makers in many countries have tried different preventive measures & engaged in joint projects to lower their suicide rates. Countries like China, Japan, Singapore, Australia & Pakistan have joined the project, Strategies to Prevent Suicide (STOPS), in order to lessen their increasing number of suicide. However, in trying to prevent the increase in number of suicide deaths and attempts, one must know what the leading causes of it are.
Suicide rates change over time, and the factors influencing them remain poorly understood. Economic factors, in particular unemployment & income growth, have been suggested as a major influence. History would tell us that economic factors really affect suicide rates. From 1928 to 2007, suicide rates has risen and fallen in tandem with the economy. It spiked at the onset of the Great Depression, fell during the expansionary World War II, rose during the oil crisis of the early '70s and the double-dip recession of the early '80s, and fell to its lowest level ever during the booming '90s. However, some studies about this have been inconsistent, which may be partly explained by shortcomings of the statistical methods used.
In line with this, the researchers conducted a study to fully understand & prove that economics factors, especially income growth & unemployment, would really affect suicide rates. If considered, this would help Policy makers in forming and implementing laws and programs regarding the increase in suicide rates.
This paper uses a cross sectional data involving 16
Suicide, an act of intentionally causing one's own death, ranks as the tenth leading cause of death worldwide. According to the World Health Organization, over one million people die by suicide every year. Furthermore, there are an estimated 10 to 20 million non-fatal attempted suicides every year worldwide. This phenomenon is even more compelling because, in many instances, suicides can be prevented. Policy makers in many countries have tried different preventive measures & engaged in joint projects to lower their suicide rates. Countries like China, Japan, Singapore, Australia & Pakistan have joined the project, Strategies to Prevent Suicide (STOPS), in order to lessen their increasing number of suicide. However, in trying to prevent the increase in number of suicide deaths and attempts, one must know what the leading causes of it are.
Suicide rates change over time, and the factors influencing them remain poorly understood. Economic factors, in particular unemployment & income growth, have been suggested as a major influence. History would tell us that economic factors really affect suicide rates. From 1928 to 2007, suicide rates has risen and fallen in tandem with the economy. It spiked at the onset of the Great Depression, fell during the expansionary World War II, rose during the oil crisis of the early '70s and the double-dip recession of the early '80s, and fell to its lowest level ever during the booming '90s. However, some studies about this have been inconsistent, which may be partly explained by shortcomings of the statistical methods used.
In line with this, the researchers conducted a study to fully understand & prove that economics factors, especially income growth & unemployment, would really affect suicide rates. If considered, this would help Policy makers in forming and implementing laws and programs regarding the increase in suicide rates.
This paper uses a cross sectional data involving 16