Economic recession and suicidal behaviour: Possible mechanisms and ameliorating factors
Economic recession and suicidal behaviour: Possible mechanisms and ameliorating factors
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DOI：
10.1177/0020764014536545
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发表时间：
2015-02-01
影响因子：
7.5
通讯作者：
Platt, Stephen
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Haw, Camilla;Hawton, Keith;Platt, Stephen
背景：来自世界各国的越来越多的研究证据表明，经济衰退与自杀率上升有关，尤其是在工作年龄的男性中。目的：探索与经济衰退和自杀有关的促成因素和改善因素，从而刺激这一领域的进一步研究，并鼓励决策者考虑如何最好地减少经济衰退对心理健康和自杀行为的影响。方法：我们对世界范围内与经济衰退有关的自杀行为的可能风险因素、机制和预防策略进行了选择性回顾。结果：提出了经济衰退如何影响自杀率的模型。经济衰退的一个主要且通常是长期的影响是失业和工作不稳定。其他重要的影响包括经济损失、破产和房屋被收回。有人提出，这些因素可能直接或间接导致精神健康问题，如抑郁、焦虑和酗酒，然后导致自杀行为。在经济衰退期间，拥有积极劳动力市场计划和持续福利支出的国家，自杀率的上升幅度不如那些削减福利支出和失业人员求职计划的国家明显。其他可能有所帮助的措施包括针对失业人员的有针对性的干预措施、社会组织的成员资格和负责任的媒体报道。在经济衰退时期，需要良好的初级保健和精神卫生服务来应对日益增长的需求，但一些政府实际上减少了医疗保健支出，作为一项紧缩措施。结论：将经济衰退、失业和自杀联系起来的研究证据是确凿的，但我们所调查的其他机制的证据则更加不确定。我们描述了现有研究的局限性，并为未来研究经济衰退对自杀行为的影响提出了建议。
Background: A growing body of research evidence from countries around the world indicates that economic recession is associated with increases in suicide, particularly in males of working age.Aims: To explore contributory and ameliorating factors associated with economic recession and suicide and thereby stimulate further research in this area and encourage policy makers to consider how best to reduce the impact of recession on mental health and suicidal behaviour.Method: We conducted a selective review of the worldwide literature focusing on possible risk factors, mechanisms and preventative strategies for suicidal behaviour linked to economic recession.Results: A model of how recession might affect suicide rates is presented. A major and often prolonged effect of recession is on unemployment and job insecurity. Other important effects include those exerted by financial loss, bankruptcy and home repossession. It is proposed these factors may lead directly or indirectly to mental health problems such as depression, anxiety and binge drinking and then to suicidal behaviour. Countries with active labour market programmes and sustained welfare spending during recessions have less marked increases in suicide rates than those that cut spending on welfare and job-search initiatives for the unemployed. Other measures likely to help include targeted interventions for unemployed people, membership of social organisations and responsible media reporting. Good primary care and mental health services are needed to cope with increased demand in times of economic recession but some governments have in fact reduced healthcare spending as an austerity measure.Conclusion: The research evidence linking recession, unemployment and suicide is substantial, but the evidence for the other mechanisms we have investigated is much more tentative. We describe the limitations of the existing body of research as well as make suggestions for future research into the effects of economic recession on suicidal behaviour.