IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/socpsy/v70y2024i1p40-47.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The impact of housing-price-related indices on suicide rates in Taiwan

Author

Listed:
  • Yi-Lung Chen
  • Dian-Jeng Li
  • Ying-Yeh Chen
  • Cheng-Fang Yen

Abstract

Background: While certain socioeconomic factors have been studied in relation to suicide, housing-price-related indexes have rarely been investigated. Aims: This article aims to examine the impact of housing-price-related indexes on suicide rates in the general population of Taiwan, a country with high housing costs and suicide rates. Methods: The study utilized three national housing-price-related indexes from 2012 to 2019: (1) housing price index, (2) housing price to income ratio, and (3) housing rental index. Cause of Death Data was employed to calculate suicide rate. A linear regression model with autoregressive errors was used to analyze the association between housing-price-related indexes and suicide rates among different sex and age groups. Results: The findings revealed that higher housing rental index values were associated with increased suicide rates in young and middle-aged adults compared to the elderly population, regardless of sex. However, this association was not observed with the other two housing-price-related indexes (i.e. housing price index and housing price to income ratio). Conclusion: These results offer valuable insights for policymakers, mental health professionals, and housing advocates to improve housing affordability and reduce the burden of suicide in the general population, particularly among younger generations.

Suggested Citation

  • Yi-Lung Chen & Dian-Jeng Li & Ying-Yeh Chen & Cheng-Fang Yen, 2024. "The impact of housing-price-related indices on suicide rates in Taiwan," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 70(1), pages 40-47, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:socpsy:v:70:y:2024:i:1:p:40-47
    DOI: 10.1177/00207640231194484
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/00207640231194484
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1177/00207640231194484?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jane Ball, 2009. "Insiders and Outsiders in French Social Housing Allocation: How Conflicting Rights Exclude Disadvantaged People," European Journal of Housing Policy, Taylor and Francis Journals, vol. 9(3), pages 313-335.
    2. Jisun Kim & Seunghyun Yoo, 2021. "Perceived Health Problems of Young Single-Person Households in Housing Poverty Living in Seoul, South Korea: A Qualitative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(3), pages 1-16, January.
    3. repec:ire:issued:v:21:n:03:2018:p:367-388 is not listed on IDEAS
    4. Sungik Kang & Hosung Woo & Ja-Hoon Koo, 2021. "Precarious Suicide Behavior According to Housing Price Gap: A Case Study on South Korea," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(18), pages 1-15, September.
    5. Richard Waldron & Declan Redmond, 2017. "“We’re just existing, not living!” Mortgage stress and the concealed costs of coping with crisis," Housing Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 32(5), pages 584-612, July.
    6. Chen, Ying-Yeh & Yip, Paul S.F. & Lee, Carmen & Fan, Hsiang-Fang & Fu, King-Wa, 2010. "Economic fluctuations and suicide: A comparison of Taiwan and Hong Kong," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 71(12), pages 2083-2090, December.
    7. Fowler, K.A. & Gladden, R.M. & Vagi, K.J. & Barnes, J. & Frazier, L., 2015. "Increase in suicides associated with home eviction and foreclosure during the US housing crisis: Findings from 16 national violent death reporting system states, 2005-2010," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 105(2), pages 311-316.
    8. Chen-Yin Lee & Pao-Huan Chen & Yen-Kuang Lin, 2021. "An Exploratory Study of the Association between Housing Price Trends and Antidepressant Use in Taiwan: A 10-Year Population-Based Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-17, April.
    9. Chin-Oh Chang & Shu-Mei Chen, 2018. "Dilemma of Housing Demand in Taiwan," International Real Estate Review, Global Social Science Institute, vol. 21(3), pages 397-418.
    10. Wrenn, Douglas H. & Yi, Junjian & Zhang, Bo, 2019. "House prices and marriage entry in China," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 118-130.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Vásquez-Vera, Hugo & Palència, Laia & Magna, Ingrid & Mena, Carlos & Neira, Jaime & Borrell, Carme, 2017. "The threat of home eviction and its effects on health through the equity lens: A systematic review," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 175(C), pages 199-208.
    2. Jie Tang & Nanqian Chen & Hailun Liang & Xu Gao, 2022. "The Effect of Built Environment on Physical Health and Mental Health of Adults: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(11), pages 1-21, May.
    3. Yanhui Wang & Shoujie Jia & Wenping Qi & Chong Huang, 2022. "Examining Poverty Reduction of Poverty-Stricken Farmer Households under Different Development Goals: A Multiobjective Spatio-Temporal Evolution Analysis Method," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-21, October.
    4. Park, Gum-Ryeong, 2024. "Housing cost burden and external causes of mortality: Variations across housing regimes in high-income countries, 2010–2020," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 345(C).
    5. Tan, Jing & Xu, Hao & Yu, Jingwen, 2022. "The effect of homeownership on migrant household savings: Evidence from the removal of home purchase restrictions in China," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 106(C).
    6. John Eric Humphries & Nicholas Mader & Daniel Tannenbaum & Winnie van Dijk, 2019. "Does Eviction Cause Poverty? Quasi-Experimental Evidence from Cook County, IL," CESifo Working Paper Series 7800, CESifo.
    7. Lina Meng & Xiao Xiao & Yinggang Zhou, 2023. "Housing Boom and Household Migration Decision: New Evidence from China," The Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics, Springer, vol. 67(3), pages 453-479, October.
    8. Liping Liao & Wenjie Wu & Chenglei Zhang, 2022. "Housing prices and the subjective well-being of migrant workers: evidence from China," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 23(7), pages 3363-3388, October.
    9. Fahim Ullah & Samad M. E. Sepasgozar, 2020. "Key Factors Influencing Purchase or Rent Decisions in Smart Real Estate Investments: A System Dynamics Approach Using Online Forum Thread Data," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-36, May.
    10. Liu, Jing & Xing, Chunbing & Zhang, Qiong, 2020. "House price, fertility rates and reproductive intentions," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    11. Rath, Abigail A. & Lau, Eric HY. & Schooling, C Mary, 2022. "The impact of the minimum wage on suicide rates in Hong Kong," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 314(C).
    12. Fetzer, Thiemo & Sen, Srinjoy & Souza, Pedro CL, 2019. "Housing insecurity, homelessness and populism: Evidence from the UK," CEPR Discussion Papers 14184, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    13. Claveria, Oscar, 2022. "Global economic uncertainty and suicide: Worldwide evidence," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 305(C).
    14. Carmen M. Reinhart & Kenneth S. Rogoff, 2009. "The Aftermath of Financial Crises," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 99(2), pages 466-472, May.
    15. Senhu Wang & Yi Wang & Yang Shen, 2023. "The Impact of Supportive Housing Policy Scenarios on Marriage and Fertility Intentions: A Vignette Survey Experimental Study in Shanghai, China," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 42(6), pages 1-25, December.
    16. Pawson, Hal & Martin, Chris & Lawson, Julie & Whelan, Stephen & Aminpour, Fatemeh, 2022. "Assisting first homebuyers: an international policy review," SocArXiv mjbv8, Center for Open Science.
    17. Antonakakis, Nikolaos & Collins, Alan, 2014. "The impact of fiscal austerity on suicide: On the empirics of a modern Greek tragedy," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 39-50.
    18. Antonakakis, Nikolaos & Collins, Alan, 2018. "A suicidal Kuznets curve?," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 166(C), pages 90-93.
    19. Rafael González-Val, 2022. "House Prices and Marriage in Spain," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-16, March.
    20. Mariola Bernal-Solano & Julia Bolívar-Muñoz & Inmaculada Mateo-Rodríguez & Humbelina Robles-Ortega & Maria del Carmen Fernández-Santaella & José Luís Mata-Martín & Jaime Vila-Castellar & Antonio Dapon, 2019. "Associations between Home Foreclosure and Health Outcomes in a Spanish City," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(6), pages 1-15, March.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:sae:socpsy:v:70:y:2024:i:1:p:40-47. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.