Systematic review of suicide in economic recession

2015/01/01 by Mayowa Oyesanya, Javier-David López-Moríñigo, Rina Dutta · 1 voice · 1 citation
Health Professions · Psychology · #Employment and Welfare Studies #Mental Health Treatment and Access #Suicide and Self-Harm Studies

paper · pdf · doi:10.5498/wjp.v5.i2.243

openalex publication_date 2015/01/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01

Abstract

AIM: To provide a systematic update of the evidence concerning the relationship between economic recession and suicide. METHODS: A keyword search of Ovid Medline, Embase, Embase Classic, PsycINFO and PsycARTICLES was performed to identify studies that had investigated the association between economic recession and suicide. RESULTS: Thirty-eight studies met predetermined selection criteria and 31 of them found a positive association between economic recession and increased suicide rates. Two studies reported a negative association, two articles failed to find such an association, and three studies were inconclusive. CONCLUSION: Economic recession periods appear to increase overall suicide rates, although further research is warranted in this area, particularly in low income countries.

Citations

• Impact of Business Cycles on US Suicide Rates, 1928–2007

Cited by

• The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic and Lockdowns on Self-Poisoning and Suicide in Sri Lanka: An Interrupted Time Series Analysis

Discussions

• [4] Friedman, Milton, 1953. Essays in Positive Economics. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, USA. [5] https://doi.org/10.2307/2951599  [6] https://worldhappiness.report/ [7] https://doi.org/10.1093 [bsky, 0 points, 2 comments]

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