Economic downturns and suicide mortality in the USA, 1980-2010: observational study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Several studies have suggested strong associations between economic downturns and suicide mortality, but are at risk of bias due to unmeasured confounding. The rationale for our study was to provide more robust evidence by using a quasi-experimental design.

Methods

We analysed 955,561 suicides occurring in the USA from 1980 to 2010 and used a broad index of economic activity in each US state to measure economic conditions. We used a quasi-experimental, fixed-effects design and we also assessed whether the effects were heterogeneous by demographic group and during periods of official recession.

Results

After accounting for secular trends, seasonality and unmeasured fixed characteristics of states, we found that an economic downturn similar in magnitude to th

SUBMITTER: Harper S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4521126 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature