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The European Journal of Health Economics
Published in: The European Journal of Health Economics 3/2017

01-04-2017 | Original Paper

Economic crisis and suicides in Spain. Socio-demographic and regional variability

Authors: Ruiz-Perez Isabel, Rodriguez-Barranco Miguel, Rojas-Garcia Antonio, Mendoza-Garcia Oscar

Published in: The European Journal of Health Economics | Issue 3/2017

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Abstract

Background

Evidence from previous recessions suggests that at times of economic deterioration, suicides increase. Spain has been one of the European countries hardest hit by the financial crisis that started in 2008. The aim of this paper is to examine the impact of the double-dip recession in Spain on the most recent trends in suicide.

Methods

Suicide data from the years 2002–2012 were obtained from the ‘Death Statistic according to Cause of Death’ of the National Statistics Institute (NSI). Population figures were obtained from the population estimates of the NSI.

Results

While the suicide rate decreased between 2002 and 2012, the downward trend has reversed twice, in 2008–2009, and in 2012. This rise was particularly pronounced in males, with the rate ratio of 1.12 (95 % CI 1.05–1.20) in 2008 and 1.10 (95 % CI 1.03–1.18) in 2009. Following a decrease in 2010 and 2011, suicides among males have increased again in 2012—with RR of 1.10 (95 % CI 1.03–1.18) compared to 2007, however the difference between 2011 amounted to 14 % rise—the biggest interannual change in a decade. There was a similar but less pronounced pattern in females. Regional data showed variable results.

Conclusions

These results suggest that the Spanish economic crisis has been associated with suicide rates in 2008, 2009, and 2012. These findings are consistent with the double-dip recession that Spain experienced.
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Metadata
Title
Economic crisis and suicides in Spain. Socio-demographic and regional variability
Authors
Ruiz-Perez Isabel
Rodriguez-Barranco Miguel
Rojas-Garcia Antonio
Mendoza-Garcia Oscar
Publication date
01-04-2017
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
The European Journal of Health Economics / Issue 3/2017
Print ISSN: 1618-7598
Electronic ISSN: 1618-7601
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10198-016-0774-5

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