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Rise in US suicide rate attributed to economic crisis

The suicide rate in the United States has accelerated since the economic crisis began in 2007, according to researchers who analyzed data from the CDC on suicide.

“The fact that countries such as Sweden have been able to prevent [rising] suicide rates despite experiencing major recessions reveals opportunities to protect Americans from further risks of suicide during the continued economic downturn,” the researchers wrote. “There is a clear need to implement policies to promote mental health resilience during the ongoing recession.”

In a letter published in The Lancet, Aaron Reeves, a research associate at the University of Cambridge and a PhD candidate at the Institute for Social and Economic Research, and colleagues examined mortality rates from 1999 to 2010 with unemployment data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Time-trend regression analyses were used to determine the relationship between the suicide rate and unemployment figures.

Although the suicide rate rose slowly from 1999 to 2007 at an average rate of 0.12 per 100,000 per year (95% CI, 0.09-0.14), the rate accelerated during the onset of the recession, with an additional 0.51 deaths per 100,000 per year (95% CI, 0.28-0.75). That increase translates to 1,584 more suicides per year (95% CI, 858-2,306), making an estimated 4,750 excess suicide deaths after 2007 (95% CI, 2,570-6,920). A one percentage point increase in unemployment was associated with a 0.99% increase in the suicide rate (95% CI, 0.60-1.38). The researchers said rising unemployment could account for approximately one-quarter of excess suicides in the United States during the recession.

Similar trends have been observed in the United Kingdom, as well.

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.