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Unemployment and Suicide Mortality: Evidence from Regional Panel Data in Europe

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  • Christian Breuer

Abstract

This paper addresses the influence of economic activity on suicide mortality in Europe. To this end, it employs a new panel data set of 275 regions in 29 countries over the period 1999–2010. The results suggest that unemployment does have a significantly positive influence on suicides. In line with economic theory, this influence varies among gender and age groups. Men of working age are particularly sensitive, while old‐age suicide mortality (older than 65 years old) hardly responds to unemployment. Moreover, real economic growth negatively affects the suicide rates of working‐age men. The results withstand several robustness checks, such as sample variations, and after controlling for serial and spatial autocorrelation. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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  • Christian Breuer, 2015. "Unemployment and Suicide Mortality: Evidence from Regional Panel Data in Europe," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 24(8), pages 936-950, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:hlthec:v:24:y:2015:i:8:p:936-950
    DOI: 10.1002/hec.3073
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    References listed on IDEAS

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