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Unemployment and underemployment are causes of suicide.

ABSTRACT: Epidemiological studies indicate that labor underutilization and suicide are associated, yet it remains unclear whether this association is causal. We applied convergent cross mapping to test for causal effects of unemployment and underemployment on suicidal behavior, using monthly data on labor underutilization and suicide rates in Australia for the period 2004-2016. Our analyses provide evidence that rates of unemployment and underemployment were significant drivers of suicide mortality in Australia over the 13-year study period. Predictive modeling indicates that 9.5% of the ~32,000 suicides reported between 2004 and 2016 resulted directly from labor underutilization, including 1575 suicides attributable to unemployment and 1496 suicides attributable to underemployment. We conclude that economic policies prioritizing full employment should be considered integral to any comprehensive national suicide prevention strategy.

SUBMITTER: Skinner A

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10337900 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Unemployment and underemployment are causes of suicide.

Skinner Adam A Osgood Nathaniel D ND Occhipinti Jo-An JA Song Yun Ju Christine YJC Hickie Ian B IB

Science advances 20230712 28

Epidemiological studies indicate that labor underutilization and suicide are associated, yet it remains unclear whether this association is causal. We applied convergent cross mapping to test for causal effects of unemployment and underemployment on suicidal behavior, using monthly data on labor underutilization and suicide rates in Australia for the period 2004-2016. Our analyses provide evidence that rates of unemployment and underemployment were significant drivers of suicide mortality in Aus ...[more]

PMID: 37436996

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The Great Recession, unemployment and suicide.

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| S-EPMC4316842 | biostudies-literature

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Analysing regional unemployment rates, GDP per capita and financial support for regional suicide prevention programme on suicide mortality in Japan using governmental statistical data.

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| S-EPMC7454243 | biostudies-literature

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| S-EPMC9347014 | biostudies-literature

Whole-exome Suicide

Project description:Whole-exome ultra-high throughput sequencing in brain samples of suicide victims who had suffered from major depressive disorder and control subjects who had died from other causes

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