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What Does It Drive the Relationship Between Suicides and Economic Conditions? New Evidence from Spain

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Abstract

In this paper we analyse suicides across the 17 Spanish regions over the period 2002–2013. In doing so, we estimate count panel data models considering gender differences taking into account before and during economic crisis periods. A range of aggregate socioeconomic regional-level factors have been considered. Our empirical results show that: (1) a socioeconomic urban–rural suicide differentials exist, (2) there exists a Mediterranean suicide pattern; and (3) unemployment levels have a marked importance during the crisis period. The results of this study may have usefulness for suicide prevention in Spain.

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Notes

  1. Nonetheless, the results are compared to the full sample period 2002–2013.

  2. Constructed by Eurostat, it considers persons with an equivalised disposable income below the risk-of-poverty threshold: at 60 % of the national median equivalised disposable income (after social transfers). Important points: (i) persons are only counted once even if they are present in several sub-indicators; (ii) material deprivation covers indicators relating to different economic strain and durables.

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Correspondence to David Cantarero-Prieto.

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Blázquez-Fernández, C., Cantarero-Prieto, D. & Pascual-Sáez, M. What Does It Drive the Relationship Between Suicides and Economic Conditions? New Evidence from Spain. Soc Indic Res 130, 1087–1099 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11205-016-1236-2

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