Do generous unemployment benefit programs reduce suicide rates? A state fixed-effect analysis covering 1968-2008.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Cylus J
PROVIDER: S-EPMC4070935 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:How have suicide rates responded to the marked increase in unemployment spurred by the Great Recession? Our paper puts this issue into a wider perspective by assessing (1) whether the unemployment-suicide link is modified by the degree of unemployment protection, and (2) whether the effect on suicide of the present crisis differs from the effects of previous economic downturns.We analysed the unemployment-suicide link using time-series data for 30 countries spanning the period 1960-2012. Separate fixed-effects models were estimated for each of five welfare state regimes with different levels of unemployment protection (Eastern, Southern, Anglo-Saxon, Bismarckian and Scandinavian). We included an interaction term to capture the possible excess effect of unemployment during the Great Recession.The largest unemployment increases occurred in the welfare state regimes with the least generous unemployment protection. The unemployment effect on male suicides was statistically significant in all welfare regimes, except the Scandinavian one. The effect on female suicides was significant only in the eastern European country group. There was a significant gradient in the effects, being stronger the less generous the unemployment protection. The interaction term capturing the possible excess effect of unemployment during the financial crisis was not significant.Our findings suggest that the more generous the unemployment protection the weaker the detrimental impact on suicide of the increasing unemployment during the Great Recession.
| S-EPMC4316842 | biostudies-other
Project description:PurposeThere have been a number of reviews on the association+ between unemployment and suicide, but none have investigated how this relationship is influenced by duration of unemployment.MethodA systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted of those studies that assessed duration of unemployment as a risk factor for suicide. Studies considered as eligible for inclusion were population-based cohort or case-control designs; population-based ecological designs, or hospital based clinical cohort or case-control designs published in the year 1980 or later.ResultsThe review identified 16 eligible studies, out of a possible 10,358 articles resulting from a search of four databases: PubMed, Web of Knowledge, Scopus and Proquest. While all 16 studies measured unemployment duration in different ways, a common finding was that longer duration of unemployment was related to greater risk of suicide and suicide attempt. A random effects meta-analysis on a subsample of six cohort studies indicated that the pooled relative risk of suicide in relation to average follow-up time after unemployment was 1.70 (95% CI 1.22 to 2.18). However, results also suggested a possible habituation effect to unemployment over time, with the greatest risk of suicide occurring within five years of unemployment compared to the employed population (RR = 2.50, 95% CI 1.83 to 3.17). Relative risk appeared to decline in studies of those unemployed between 12 and 16 years compared to those currently employed (RR = 1.21, 95% CI 1.10 to 1.33).ConclusionFindings suggest that long-term unemployment is associated with greater incidence of suicide. Results of the meta-analysis suggest that risk is greatest in the first five years, and persists at a lower but elevated level up to 16 years after unemployment. These findings are limited by the paucity of data on this topic.
| S-EPMC3547020 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Unemployment is a risk factor for suicide. Unemployment insurance is the primary policy tool in the United States for alleviating the burden of unemployment on individuals. Our objective was to estimate the effect of state unemployment insurance accessibility on suicide rates, and effect modification by sociodemographic factors and unemployment rate. We used quarterly data from all 50 U.S. states and Washington, DC from 2000 to 2015, for a total of 3264 state-quarter units of analysis. The exposure was the quarterly unemployment insurance recipiency rate, i.e. the percentage of unemployed persons who received unemployment insurance. The outcome was the state-quarterly suicide rate per 100,000 population. Linear regression models included state, year, and calendar quarter fixed effects, state time trends, and state-level economic covariates to account for state-specific time-varying confounding. We assessed effect modification by the state-level unemployment rate, educational attainment, age, gender, and race. Based on fully adjusted models, potential protective effects of higher unemployment insurance recipiency rates appear to be small and restricted to demographic groups at higher risk of suicide including men, non-Hispanic White Americans, and those 45-64 years of age. These groups also generally have higher UI recipiency rates, therefore differences in subgroup estimates may reflect variations in eligibility policies and accessibility of UI programs.
| S-EPMC7704719 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Introduction Despite ongoing efforts to vaccinate communities against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the necessity of face mask use in controlling the pandemic remains subject to debate. Several studies have investigated face masks and COVID-19, covering smaller and less diverse populations than this study's sample. This study examines a hypothesized association of face covering mandates with COVID-19 mortality decline across 44 countries in 2 continents. Methods In a retrospective cohort study, changes in COVID-19-related daily mortality rate per million population from February 15 to May 31, 2020 were compared between 27 countries with and 17 countries without face mask mandates in nearly 1 billion (911,446,220 total) people. Longitudinal mixed effect modeling was applied and adjusted for over 10 relevant demographic, social, clinical, and time dependent confounders. Results Average COVID-19 mortality per million was 288.54 in countries without face mask policies and 48.40 in countries with face mask policies. In no mask countries, adjusted average daily increase was 0.1553 – 0.0017 × (days since first case) log deaths per million, compared with 0.0900 – 0.0009 × (days since first case) log deaths per million in the countries with a mandate. Sixty days into the pandemic, countries without face mask mandates had an average daily increase of 0.0533 deaths per million, compared with the average daily increase of countries with face mask mandates, at 0.0360 deaths per million. Conclusions This study's significant results show that face mask mandates were associated with lower COVID-19 deaths rates compared with countries without mandates. These findings support use of face masks to prevent excess COVID-19 deaths, and should be advised during airborne disease epidemics.
| S-EPMC8580811 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Parental unemployment is associated with worse adolescent mental health, but prior evidence has primarily been based on cross-sectional studies subject to reverse causality and confounding. We assessed the association between parental unemployment and changes in adolescent psychotropic medication purchases, with longitudinal individual-level fixed-effects models that controlled for time-invariant confounding. We used data from a large, register-based panel of Finnish adolescents aged 13-20 years in 1987-2012 (n = 138,644) that included annual measurements of mothers' and fathers' employment and offspring psychotropic medication purchases. We assessed changes in the probability of adolescent psychotropic medication purchases in the years before, during, and after the first episode of parental unemployment. There was no association between mother's unemployment and offspring psychotropic purchases in the fixed-effects models, suggesting this association is largely driven by unmeasured confounding and selection. By contrast, father's unemployment led to a significant 15%-20% increase in the probability of purchasing psychotropic medication among adolescents even after extensive controls for observed and unobserved confounding. This change takes at least 1 year to emerge, but it is long-lasting; thus, policies are needed that mitigate the harm of father's unemployment on offspring's mental well-being.
| S-EPMC6118068 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Trust has been considered the "cement" of a society and is much studied in sociology and other social sciences. Most studies, however, have neglected one important aspect of trust: it involves an act of forgiving and showing tolerance toward another's failure. In this study, we refer to this concept as "generous trust" and examine the conditions under which generous trust becomes a more viable option when compared to other types of trust. We investigate two settings. First, we introduce two types of uncertainties: uncertainty as to whether trustees have the intention to cooperate, and uncertainty as to whether trustees have enough competence to accomplish the entrusted tasks. Second, we examine the manner in which trust functions in a broader social context, one that involves matching and commitment processes. Since we expect generosity or forgiveness to work differently in the matching and commitment processes, we must differentiate trust strategies into generous trust in the matching process and that in the commitment process. Our analytical strategy is two-fold. First, we analyze the "modified" trust game that incorporates the two types of uncertainties without the matching process. This simplified setting enables us to derive mathematical results using game theory, thereby giving basic insight into the trust mechanism. Second, we investigate socially embedded trust relationships in contexts involving the matching and commitment processes, using agent-based simulation. Results show that uncertainty about partner's intention and competence makes generous trust a viable option. In contrast, too much uncertainty undermines the possibility of generous trust. Furthermore, a strategy that is too generous cannot stand alone. Generosity should be accompanied with moderate punishment. As for socially embedded trust relationships, generosity functions differently in the matching process versus the commitment process. Indeed, these two types of generous trust coexist, and their coexistence enables a society to function well.
| S-EPMC5125584 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of 3-year phased bans of the pesticides dimethoate and fenthion in 2008-2010, and paraquat in 2009-2011, on suicide mortality in Sri Lanka.MethodsAge-standardised overall, sex-specific, and method-specific suicide rates were calculated using Sri Lankan police data (1989-2015). Using negative binomial regression models, we estimated the change in the rate and number of suicide deaths in post-ban years (2011-15) compared to those expected based on pre-ban trends (2001-10).FindingsOverall suicide mortality dropped by 21% between 2011 and 2015, from 18.3 to 14.3 per 100,000. The decline in pesticide suicides during this same period was larger than for overall suicides: from 8.5 to 4.2 per 100,000, a 50% reduction. This was accompanied by a smaller concurrent rise in non-pesticide suicide mortality with a 2% increase (9.9 to 10.1 per 100,000). In 2015, the ratio between the observed and expected pesticide suicide rates was 0.49 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.40, 0.62), corresponding to an estimated 937 (95% CI 574, 1389) fewer pesticide suicides than expected from pre-ban suicide rates. Findings were similar in sensitivity analyses using 2008 or 2012 as commencement of the post intervention period.ConclusionBans of paraquat, dimethoate and fenthion in Sri Lanka were associated with a reduction in pesticide suicide mortality and in overall suicide mortality despite a small rise in other methods. This study provides further evidence for the effectiveness of pesticide regulation in limiting the availability of highly hazardous pesticides and thereby reducing the number of global suicides.
| S-EPMC5338785 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ObjectivesTo explore the mechanisms of reduced suicide mortality in Japan, which decreased from 25.7 to 16.5 per 100 000 people following the comprehensive suicide prevention programme from 2009 to 2018, the present study determined the relationship between regional suicide mortality, socioeconomic data (GDP per capita, unemployment rates) and financial support for regional suicide prevention programmes.Design and settingStepwise multiple regression analysis was used to determine the effects of regional GDP per capita, unemployment rates and implementation amount of financial support for regional suicide prevention programmes (Emergency Fund to Enhance Community-Based Suicide Countermeasures-EFECBSC) on age and gender disaggregated suicide mortalities in Japan between 2009 and 2018. Data on each prefecture's complete unemployment rates, GDP per capita and implementation amount of EFECBSC sub-divisions were derived from an official Japanese governmental database.ResultsBoth prefectural enlightenment and intervention model programmes were found to lead to a decrease in male suicide mortality, but were less effective in reducing female suicide mortality. Municipal enlightenment and intervention model programmes were also less effective in reducing suicide mortality. Municipal development programmes for listener and leader led to a greater decrease in suicide mortality for both men and women compared with such programmes at the prefectural level. Contrary to our expectations, reduced complete unemployment rate only reduced suicide mortality in the older male population without affecting female suicide mortality.ConclusionThe study findings suggest an inverse relationship between financial support and suicide mortality in Japan. Furthermore, independent factors in the reduction of suicide mortality rates provide important information for planning evidence-based and cost-effective regional suicide prevention programmes.
| S-EPMC7454243 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Both scientists and the public would benefit from improved communication of basic scientific research and from integrating scientists into education outreach, but opportunities to support these efforts are limited. We have developed two low-cost programs--"Present Your PhD Thesis to a 12-Year-Old" and "Shadow a Scientist"--that combine training in science communication with outreach to area middle schools. We assessed the outcomes of these programs and found a 2-fold benefit: scientists improve their communication skills by explaining basic science research to a general audience, and students' enthusiasm for science and their scientific knowledge are increased. Here we present details about both programs, along with our assessment of them, and discuss the feasibility of exporting these programs to other universities.
| S-EPMC4742226 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Contemporary economic models hold that instrumental and impulsive behaviors underlie human social decision making. The amygdala is assumed to be involved in social-economic behavior, but its role in human behavior is poorly understood. Rodent research suggests that the basolateral amygdala (BLA) subserves instrumental behaviors and regulates the central-medial amygdala, which subserves impulsive behaviors. The human amygdala, however, typically is investigated as a single unit. If these rodent data could be translated to humans, selective dysfunction of the human BLA might constrain instrumental social-economic decisions and result in more impulsive social-economic choice behavior. Here we show that humans with selective BLA damage and a functional central-medial amygdala invest nearly 100% more money in unfamiliar others in a trust game than do healthy controls. We furthermore show that this generosity is not caused by risk-taking deviations in nonsocial contexts. Moreover, these BLA-damaged subjects do not expect higher returns or perceive people as more trustworthy, implying that their generous investments are not instrumental in nature. These findings suggest that the human BLA is essential for instrumental behaviors in social-economic interactions.
| S-EPMC3574920 | biostudies-literature