Welfare policy and suicide: The role of "supporting the self-reliance of persons in need" program in Japan.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Japan experienced a substantial decrease in suicide rates in the 2010s. During this period, the "Supporting the Self-Reliance of Persons in Need" program was initiated to target individuals struggling to meet basic needs. The program provides personalized consultations and subprograms that address the residence issues, necessities, employment needs, and household finance management problems. This study evaluates whether this program is related to the decline in Japan's suicide rates in the 2010s.

Methods

The first analysis employs a difference-in-differences approach, using the monthly suicide rates in 815 cities across Japan from 2009 to 2015. Policy exposure refers to the period after pilot programs were introduced in cities between 2013 and 2015. The second ana

SUBMITTER: Zuo X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12398870 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature