Skip to main content
Top
Published in: BMC Public Health 1/2019

Open Access 01-12-2019 | Suicide | Research article

Risk of suicide in households threatened with eviction: the role of banks and social support

Authors: Inmaculada Mateo-Rodríguez, Laura Miccoli, Antonio Daponte-Codina, Julia Bolívar-Muñoz, Cecilia Escudero-Espinosa, M. Carmen Fernández-Santaella, Jaime Vila-Castellar, Humbelina Robles-Ortega, José Luis Mata-Martín, Mariola Bernal-Solano

Published in: BMC Public Health | Issue 1/2019

Login to get access

Abstract

Background

One of the greatest effects of the financial crisis in Spain has been the enormous increase in the number of evictions. Several studies have shown the association of evictions with different aspects of the physical and mental health. Furthermore, evictions have been associated with an increased risk of suicide. Our objective was to evaluate the risk of suicide among victims of eviction and investigate whether it is associated with specific characteristics of households and interviewees, the eviction process and social support, and health needs.

Methods

A total of 205 participants from households threatened with eviction in Granada, Spain, and 673 being the total number of members of these households, were interviewed in one-on-one sessions between April 2013 and May 2014. Through a questionnaire, information was obtained on physical and mental health, characteristics of their eviction process and support networks, and the use of health services.

Results

Almost half of the sample (46.7%) were at low (11.8%), moderate (16.9%), or high suicide risk (17.9%). Household and interviewee features had a limited association with suicide risk. On the contrary, the risk of suicide is greater with a longer exposure to the eviction process. In addition, threatening phone calls from banks increased significantly the risk of suicide, especially among men. Suicide risk was also associated with low social support, especially among women. Interviewees at risk of suicide received more help from nongovernmental organizations than those who were not at risk. In interviewees at risk, the main unmet needs were emotional and psychological help, especially in men. A high percentage of those at risk of suicide declare having large unmeet health needs. Finally, there was a tendency among the evicted at risk of suicide to visit emergency room and primary care more often than those not at risk, especially among women.

Conclusions

To our knowledge, this is the first study showing that when banks adopt a threatening attitude, suicide risk increases among the evicted. As hypothesized, when the evicted felt socially supported, suicide risk decreased. Emotional help was the main mediator of suicide risk and the main unmet need, especially among men.
Literature
22.
go back to reference Bolívar Muñoz J, Bernal Solano M, Mateo Rodríguez I, Daponte Codina A, Escudero Espinosa C, Sánchez Cantalejo C, González Usera I, Robles Ortega H, Mata Martín JL, Fernández Santaella MC, Vila CJ. The health of adults undergoing an eviction process. Gac Sanit. 2016;30(1):4–10.CrossRef Bolívar Muñoz J, Bernal Solano M, Mateo Rodríguez I, Daponte Codina A, Escudero Espinosa C, Sánchez Cantalejo C, González Usera I, Robles Ortega H, Mata Martín JL, Fernández Santaella MC, Vila CJ. The health of adults undergoing an eviction process. Gac Sanit. 2016;30(1):4–10.CrossRef
25.
go back to reference Wasserman D, Wasserman C. Oxford textbook of suicidology and suicide prevention. Oxford: Oxford University Press; 2009.CrossRef Wasserman D, Wasserman C. Oxford textbook of suicidology and suicide prevention. Oxford: Oxford University Press; 2009.CrossRef
43.
go back to reference Nock MK, Borges G, Bromet EJ, Cha CB, Kessler RC, Lee S. Suicide and suicidal behavior. Epidemiol Rev. 2008;30(1):133–54.CrossRef Nock MK, Borges G, Bromet EJ, Cha CB, Kessler RC, Lee S. Suicide and suicidal behavior. Epidemiol Rev. 2008;30(1):133–54.CrossRef
44.
go back to reference Li Z, Page A, Martin G, Taylor R. Attributable risk of psychiatric and socio-economic factors for suicide from individual-level, population-based studies: a systematic review. Soc Sci Med. 2011;72(4):608–16.CrossRef Li Z, Page A, Martin G, Taylor R. Attributable risk of psychiatric and socio-economic factors for suicide from individual-level, population-based studies: a systematic review. Soc Sci Med. 2011;72(4):608–16.CrossRef
46.
go back to reference Robles-Ortega H, Guerra P, González-Usera I, Mata-Martín JL, Fernández-Santaella MC, Vila J, Bolívar-Muñoz J, Bernal-Solano M, Mateo-Rodríguez I, Daponte-Codina A. Post-traumatic stress disorder symptomatology in people affected by home eviction in Spain. Span J Psychol. 2017;20:E57.CrossRef Robles-Ortega H, Guerra P, González-Usera I, Mata-Martín JL, Fernández-Santaella MC, Vila J, Bolívar-Muñoz J, Bernal-Solano M, Mateo-Rodríguez I, Daponte-Codina A. Post-traumatic stress disorder symptomatology in people affected by home eviction in Spain. Span J Psychol. 2017;20:E57.CrossRef
50.
go back to reference Domingo-Salvany A, Bacigalupe A, Carrasco JM, Espelt A, Ferrando J, Borrell C. Propuestas de clase social neoweberiana y neomarxista a partir de la Clasificación Nacional de Ocupaciones 2011 [proposals for social class classification based on the Spanish National Classification of occupations 2011 using neo-Weberian and neo-Marxist]. Gac Sanit. 2013;27:263–72. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gaceta.2012.12.009.CrossRefPubMed Domingo-Salvany A, Bacigalupe A, Carrasco JM, Espelt A, Ferrando J, Borrell C. Propuestas de clase social neoweberiana y neomarxista a partir de la Clasificación Nacional de Ocupaciones 2011 [proposals for social class classification based on the Spanish National Classification of occupations 2011 using neo-Weberian and neo-Marxist]. Gac Sanit. 2013;27:263–72. https://​doi.​org/​10.​1016/​j.​gaceta.​2012.​12.​009.CrossRefPubMed
51.
go back to reference Broadhead W, Gehlbach S, Degruy F, Kaplan B. The Duke-UNK functional social support questionnaire: measurement of social support in family medicine patients. Med Care. 1988;26:709–23.CrossRef Broadhead W, Gehlbach S, Degruy F, Kaplan B. The Duke-UNK functional social support questionnaire: measurement of social support in family medicine patients. Med Care. 1988;26:709–23.CrossRef
52.
go back to reference Huerta-Ramírez R. Conducta suicida en población general adulta española. Inf Psiquiátricas. 2017;227:25–42. Huerta-Ramírez R. Conducta suicida en población general adulta española. Inf Psiquiátricas. 2017;227:25–42.
56.
go back to reference INE, 2014a. Instituto Nacional de Estadística. Madrid: National Health Survey [WWW Document]. INE, 2014a. Instituto Nacional de Estadística. Madrid: National Health Survey [WWW Document].
58.
go back to reference Chang, E.C., Sanna, L.J., Hirsch, Jameson, K., Jeglic, E.L., 2010. Loneliness and negative life events as predictors of hopelessness and suicidal behaviors in Hispanics: evidence for a diathesis-stress model. J Clin Psychol 62, 1242–1253. doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp. Chang, E.C., Sanna, L.J., Hirsch, Jameson, K., Jeglic, E.L., 2010. Loneliness and negative life events as predictors of hopelessness and suicidal behaviors in Hispanics: evidence for a diathesis-stress model. J Clin Psychol 62, 1242–1253. doi: https://​doi.​org/​10.​1002/​jclp.
59.
go back to reference Conroy RW, Smith K. Family loss and hospital suicide. Suicide Life- Threat Behav. 1983;13:179–94.CrossRef Conroy RW, Smith K. Family loss and hospital suicide. Suicide Life- Threat Behav. 1983;13:179–94.CrossRef
69.
go back to reference World Health Organization. The World health report : 2001 : Mental health : new understanding, new hope. World Health Organization; ‎2001. World Health Organization. The World health report : 2001 : Mental health : new understanding, new hope. World Health Organization; ‎2001.
70.
go back to reference Saxena S, Sharan P, Garrido-Cumbrera M, Saraceno B. World Health Organization’ s mental health atlas 2005: implications for policy development. World Psychiatry. 2006;5:180–4. Saxena S, Sharan P, Garrido-Cumbrera M, Saraceno B. World Health Organization’ s mental health atlas 2005: implications for policy development. World Psychiatry. 2006;5:180–4.
74.
go back to reference OECD. Crisis squeezes income and puts pressure on inequality and poverty: results from the OECD Income Distribution Database. Paris: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development; 2013. OECD. Crisis squeezes income and puts pressure on inequality and poverty: results from the OECD Income Distribution Database. Paris: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development; 2013.
75.
go back to reference De Vogli R. The financial crisis, health and health inequalities in Europe: the need for regulations, redistribution and social protection. Int J Equity Health. 2014;13:58.CrossRef De Vogli R. The financial crisis, health and health inequalities in Europe: the need for regulations, redistribution and social protection. Int J Equity Health. 2014;13:58.CrossRef
76.
go back to reference Fernández Ruiz-Galvez E. Rebus sic stantibus y crisis económica. Orden público económico versus especulación Anu Filos del Derecho Xxxiii; 2017. p. 63–98. Fernández Ruiz-Galvez E. Rebus sic stantibus y crisis económica. Orden público económico versus especulación Anu Filos del Derecho Xxxiii; 2017. p. 63–98.
77.
go back to reference Sánchez Ruiz de Valdivia I, Olmedo Cardenete MD. Desahucios y ejecuciones hipotecarias: un drama social y un problema legal. Valencia: Tirant Lo Blanch; 2014. Sánchez Ruiz de Valdivia I, Olmedo Cardenete MD. Desahucios y ejecuciones hipotecarias: un drama social y un problema legal. Valencia: Tirant Lo Blanch; 2014.
79.
go back to reference Oliva Moreno J, González López-Varcárcel B, Barber P, Peña Longobardo LM, Urbanos Garrido R, Zozaya González N. Crisis económica y salud en España. Madrid: Ministerio De Sanidad, Consumo Y Bienestar Social; 2018. Oliva Moreno J, González López-Varcárcel B, Barber P, Peña Longobardo LM, Urbanos Garrido R, Zozaya González N. Crisis económica y salud en España. Madrid: Ministerio De Sanidad, Consumo Y Bienestar Social; 2018.
85.
go back to reference Observatorio DESC y Plataforma de Afectados por la Hipoteca. Emergencia habitacional en Cataluña. Impacto de la crisis hipotecaria en el derecho a la salud y los derechos de la infancia. Observatorio DESC y Plataforma de Afectados por la Hipoteca. Barcelona; 2015. Observatorio DESC y Plataforma de Afectados por la Hipoteca. Emergencia habitacional en Cataluña. Impacto de la crisis hipotecaria en el derecho a la salud y los derechos de la infancia. Observatorio DESC y Plataforma de Afectados por la Hipoteca. Barcelona; 2015.
87.
go back to reference Kingsley GT, Smith RE, Price D. The impacts of foreclosures on families and communities. Washington, DC: The Urban Institute; 2009. Kingsley GT, Smith RE, Price D. The impacts of foreclosures on families and communities. Washington, DC: The Urban Institute; 2009.
Metadata
Title
Risk of suicide in households threatened with eviction: the role of banks and social support
Authors
Inmaculada Mateo-Rodríguez
Laura Miccoli
Antonio Daponte-Codina
Julia Bolívar-Muñoz
Cecilia Escudero-Espinosa
M. Carmen Fernández-Santaella
Jaime Vila-Castellar
Humbelina Robles-Ortega
José Luis Mata-Martín
Mariola Bernal-Solano
Publication date
01-12-2019
Publisher
BioMed Central
Keywords
Suicide
Suicide
Published in
BMC Public Health / Issue 1/2019
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2458
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-019-7548-9

Other articles of this Issue 1/2019

BMC Public Health 1/2019 Go to the issue