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The Impact of the Economy on Suicide and Homicide Rates in Japan and the United States

Author

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  • David Lester

    (Center for the Study of Suicide, RR41, 5 Stonegate Court, Blackwood, New Jersey 08012, USA)

  • Yutaka Motohashi

    (Department of Public Health, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan)

  • Bijou Yang

    (Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA)

Abstract

A time series study of socioeconomic correlates of suicide and homicide in Japan and the USA from 1953 to 1982 revealed cross-national differences. Divorce rates were positively associated with rates of personal violence in the USA but negatively associated with these rates in Japan. Unemployment and female labor force participation also correlated differently with rates of personal violence in the two nations suggesting that different theories may be necessary to account for the variation in rates of personal violence in different societies.

Suggested Citation

  • David Lester & Yutaka Motohashi & Bijou Yang, 1992. "The Impact of the Economy on Suicide and Homicide Rates in Japan and the United States," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 38(4), pages 314-317, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:socpsy:v:38:y:1992:i:4:p:314-317
    DOI: 10.1177/002076409203800411
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Bijou Yang, 1992. "The Economy and Suicide:," American Journal of Economics and Sociology, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 51(1), pages 87-99, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. Yang, Bijou & Lester, David, 1995. "New directions for economics," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 24(3), pages 433-446.
    2. José‐Alberto Molina & Rosa Duarte, 2006. "Risk Determinants of Suicide Attempts Among Adolescents," American Journal of Economics and Sociology, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 65(2), pages 407-434, April.
    3. Tsutsumi, Akizumi & Kayaba, Kazunori & Ishikawa, Shizukiyo, 2011. "Impact of occupational stress on stroke across occupational classes and genders," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 72(10), pages 1652-1658, May.
    4. Hisashi Eguchi & Koji Wada & Yoshiyuki Higuchi & Daisuke Yoneoka & Derek R Smith, 2015. "Work Content and Serious Mental Illness among Middle-Aged Men: Results from a 6-Year Longitudinal Study in Japan," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(6), pages 1-11, June.

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