Suicide Increases After the 2008 Economic Crisis

Peter Roy-Byrne, MD

Rates increased globally, mostly in men, and were strongly linked to rises in unemployment.

Increases in unemployment across the U.K. after the 2008 economic downturn have been associated with increased risk for suicide (NEJM JW Psychiatry Aug 27 2012).

Now, to assess how the downturn affected suicide trends on a global scale, international investigators conducted a time-trend analysis, linking unemployment trends with suicide data on people (age, ≥15) from 54 countries before and after 2008.

In 2009, the number of suicides was 4884 higher than expected, based on 2000–2007 trends. The increased suicide rates were attributed mainly to men in 27 European and 18 American countries (4.2% and 6.4% higher than expected, respectively). Rate increases in men corresponded to rises in unemployment and were highest among young men in Europe (ages, 15–24; 11.7%); rate increases in the Americas were highest among middle-aged men (ages, 45–64; 5.2%). Rates increased in women only in American countries and to a smaller degree (2.3%). Suicide rates did not increase in Asian or African countries.

Citation(s):

Chang S-S et al. Impact of 2008 global economic crisis on suicide: Time trend study in 54 countries. BMJ 2013 Sep 17; 347:f5239.