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Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology
Published in: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology 5/2019

01-05-2019 | Original Paper

Effect of the Brazilian cash transfer programme on suicide rates: a longitudinal analysis of the Brazilian municipalities

Authors: Flávia Jôse Oliveira Alves, Daiane Borges Machado, Maurício L. Barreto

Published in: Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology | Issue 5/2019

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Abstract

Purpose

There is a growing awareness of the economic and contextual factors that may play a role in the aetiology of suicide. The Programa Bolsa Família (PBF) the Brazilian conditional cash transfer programme, established in 2004, aims to attenuate the effects of poverty of Brazilians. Our study aims to evaluate the effect of Bolsa Família Programme (BFP) coverage on suicide rates in Brazilian municipalities.

Methods

We conducted an ecological study using 2004–2012 panel data for 5507 Brazilian municipalities. We calculated age-standardized suicide rates for each municipality and year. BFP coverage was categorized according to three levels (< 30%, ≥ 30% and < 70% and ≥ 70%) and duration (coverage ≤ 70% for all years, ≥ 70% for 1 year, ≥ 70% for 2 years, ≥ 70% for 3 or more years). We used negative binomial regression models with fixed effects, adjusting for socio-economic, demographic and social welfare co-variables.

Results

An increase in BFP coverage was associated with a reduction in suicide rates. The strongest effect was observed when in addition to greater municipal coverage (RR 0.942, 95% CI 0.936–0.947), the duration of the high coverage was maintained for 3 years or more (RR 0.952 95% CI 0.950–0.954).

Conclusions

The results provide evidence that the conditional cash transfer programme may reduce suicide in Brazilian municipalities, mitigating the effect of poverty on suicide incidence.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
Effect of the Brazilian cash transfer programme on suicide rates: a longitudinal analysis of the Brazilian municipalities
Authors
Flávia Jôse Oliveira Alves
Daiane Borges Machado
Maurício L. Barreto
Publication date
01-05-2019
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology / Issue 5/2019
Print ISSN: 0933-7954
Electronic ISSN: 1433-9285
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-018-1627-6

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