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Rise in UK suicide rate blamed on recession

More than 1,000 men and women committed suicide in the United Kingdom due to the 2008 to 2010 economic recession, according to new study results published in the British Medical Journal.

In 2008, suicides began to rise in the United Kingdom after a 20-year low, increasing by 7% among men and 8% among women vs. 2007. Although suicides began to fall again in 2010, figures were still above pre-recession averages, according to researchers.

Ben Barr, PhD, a National Institute for Health Research fellow and professor of the department of public health and policy at the University of Liverpool, and colleagues obtained data on suicides from the National Clinical and Health Outcomes Database from 2000 to 2010, available for 93 regions across the United Kingdom. Unemployment figures were calculated based on the number of people claiming benefits from the Office of National Statistics.

Barr and colleagues compared the actual number of suicides with those that would be expected if pre-recession trends had continued.

Between 2008 and 2010, the researchers found 846 (95% CI, 818-877) more suicides among men than what would be expected had recession not occurred, and 155 (95% CI, 121-189) more suicides among women. Each 10% increase in the number of unemployed men was significantly associated with a 1.4% (95% CI, 0.5-2.3) increase in male suicides.

The number of unemployed men increased on average across the United Kingdom by 25.6% each year from 2008 to 2010, which was associated with a 3.6% yearly increase in male suicides. This increase corresponded to 329 (95% CI, 126-532) additional suicides, accounting for two-fifths of the total excess of male suicides during the recession.

The researchers said the study cannot prove that the association between rising unemployment and suicides is causal, but the results can explain a small reduction in suicides after a slight recovery in male employment.

Barr and colleagues said budget cuts could worsen the ongoing recession by increasing private sector job loss and reducing access to preventive services.

“Austerity measures in the U.K. are exacerbating unemployment and reducing growth, and some commentators have suggested that the government should promote employment, particularly in deprived areas, through state-led social investment in infrastructure, industry, education, early years support, and improved working condition,” the researchers wrote.

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.