SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
People wait outside at a job fair. (Photo: Paul Swansen/cc/flickr)
Economic Recession Linked to 10,000 Suicides
New study also reveals "looming mental health crisis."
Jun 13, 2014
A new study has linked the economic recession to 10,000 suicides across North American and Europe, and revealed a "looming mental health crisis."
Researchers from the University of Oxford and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine used data from the World Health Organization on suicides in Canada, the U.S. and 24 EU nations and found an increase in the number of suicides from 2008 to 2010.
The suicide rate increased by 4.8 percent in the U.S. between 2007 and 2010. In the EU, the rate rose by 6.5% by 2009 and stayed at that level.
The three factors the study found to be the biggest risk factors were job loss, home repossession and debt.
"There has been a substantial rise in suicides during the recession, greater than we would have anticipated based on previous trends," stated Dr. Aaron Reeves of Oxford University's Department of Sociology and lead author of the study.
The study authors also warn that the 10,000 suicides may be a conservative estimate.
"Suicides are just the tip of the iceberg," stated co-author Professor David Stuckler from the University of Oxford.
"These data reveal a looming mental health crisis in Europe and North America. In these hard economic times, this research suggests it is critical to look for ways of protecting those who are likely to be hardest hit," Stuckler stated.
The findings were published Thursday in the British Journal of Psychiatry.
___________________________
An Unconstitutional Rampage
Trump and Musk are on an unconstitutional rampage, aiming for virtually every corner of the federal government. These two right-wing billionaires are targeting nurses, scientists, teachers, daycare providers, judges, veterans, air traffic controllers, and nuclear safety inspectors. No one is safe. The food stamps program, Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are next. It’s an unprecedented disaster and a five-alarm fire, but there will be a reckoning. The people did not vote for this. The American people do not want this dystopian hellscape that hides behind claims of “efficiency.” Still, in reality, it is all a giveaway to corporate interests and the libertarian dreams of far-right oligarchs like Musk. Common Dreams is playing a vital role by reporting day and night on this orgy of corruption and greed, as well as what everyday people can do to organize and fight back. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover issues the corporate media never will, but we can only continue with our readers’ support. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
A new study has linked the economic recession to 10,000 suicides across North American and Europe, and revealed a "looming mental health crisis."
Researchers from the University of Oxford and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine used data from the World Health Organization on suicides in Canada, the U.S. and 24 EU nations and found an increase in the number of suicides from 2008 to 2010.
The suicide rate increased by 4.8 percent in the U.S. between 2007 and 2010. In the EU, the rate rose by 6.5% by 2009 and stayed at that level.
The three factors the study found to be the biggest risk factors were job loss, home repossession and debt.
"There has been a substantial rise in suicides during the recession, greater than we would have anticipated based on previous trends," stated Dr. Aaron Reeves of Oxford University's Department of Sociology and lead author of the study.
The study authors also warn that the 10,000 suicides may be a conservative estimate.
"Suicides are just the tip of the iceberg," stated co-author Professor David Stuckler from the University of Oxford.
"These data reveal a looming mental health crisis in Europe and North America. In these hard economic times, this research suggests it is critical to look for ways of protecting those who are likely to be hardest hit," Stuckler stated.
The findings were published Thursday in the British Journal of Psychiatry.
___________________________
A new study has linked the economic recession to 10,000 suicides across North American and Europe, and revealed a "looming mental health crisis."
Researchers from the University of Oxford and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine used data from the World Health Organization on suicides in Canada, the U.S. and 24 EU nations and found an increase in the number of suicides from 2008 to 2010.
The suicide rate increased by 4.8 percent in the U.S. between 2007 and 2010. In the EU, the rate rose by 6.5% by 2009 and stayed at that level.
The three factors the study found to be the biggest risk factors were job loss, home repossession and debt.
"There has been a substantial rise in suicides during the recession, greater than we would have anticipated based on previous trends," stated Dr. Aaron Reeves of Oxford University's Department of Sociology and lead author of the study.
The study authors also warn that the 10,000 suicides may be a conservative estimate.
"Suicides are just the tip of the iceberg," stated co-author Professor David Stuckler from the University of Oxford.
"These data reveal a looming mental health crisis in Europe and North America. In these hard economic times, this research suggests it is critical to look for ways of protecting those who are likely to be hardest hit," Stuckler stated.
The findings were published Thursday in the British Journal of Psychiatry.
___________________________
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.