Suicide rates linked to state of economy, according to research from American Journal of Public Health is the first to look at suicide trends by age and business cycles.
An analysis of long-term suicide trends has just been published by the American Journal of Public Health. Analysing 80 years of data, researchers have mapped suicide against economic factors and have shown that there is a close correlation between suicide in working age adults and the state of the economy. Kevin Friery, Clinical Director of one of the UK’s leading providers of Employee Assistance Programmes, Right Corecare, says: “The data shows that the 25-65 year-old age group follows this pattern closely, whilst those younger or older than the working age group do not. One of the psychological correlates of suicide is the abandonment of hope, the loss of a sense that the situation can be managed and improved.
“At a time when in the UK we are seeing organisations tightening their belts, reducing the size of the workforce, making sweeping changes there is a great risk that employees could feel helpless and hopeless. The government has long seen the reduction of suicide as a key strategic target, and this new research gives us a clear warning that we need to look closely at the psychological impact of economic pressure and put in place effective resources to help people manage inevitable change. “Its never been more important for employers to make a strategic investment in the wellbeing of their employees and provide staff with access to high quality psychological support during this economic squeeze.”
Last week the Action for Happiness campaign was launched to tackle the nation’s psychological decline. Backed by a group of eminent British thinkers from the worlds of education, economics and politics, including the Dalai Lama, the campaign warns that unless we undergo a “radical cultural change”, Britain will slide into unprecedented depths of despair blighted by rising rates of suicide and depression.
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