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Impact of Income Inequality and Other Social Determinants on Suicide Rate in Brazil

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  • Daiane Borges Machado
  • Davide Rasella
  • Darci Neves dos Santos

Abstract

Purpose: To analyze whether income inequality and other social determinants are associated with suicide rate in Brazil. Method: This study used panel data from all 5,507 Brazilian municipalities from 2000 to 2011. Suicide rates were calculated by sex and standardized by age for each municipality and year. The independent variables of the regression model included the Gini Index, per capita income, percentage of individuals with up to eight years of education, urbanization, average number of residents per household, percentage of divorced people, of Catholics, Pentecostals, and Evangelicals. A multivariable negative binomial regression for panel data with fixed-effects specification was performed. Results: The Gini index was positively associated with suicide rates; the rate ratio (RR) was 1.055 (95% CI: 1.011–1.101). Of the other social determinants, income had a significant negative association with suicide rates (RR: 0.968, 95% CI: 0.948–0.988), whereas a low-level education had a positive association (RR: 1.015, 95% CI: 1.010–1.021). Conclusions: Income inequality represents a community-level risk factor for suicide rates in Brazil. The decrease in income inequality, increase in income per capita, and decrease in the percentage of individuals who did not complete basic studies may have counteracted the increase in suicides in the last decade. Other changes, such as the decrease in the mean residents per household, may have contributed to their increase. Therefore, the implementation of social policies that may improve the population’s socioeconomic conditions and reduce income inequality in Brazil, and in other low and middle-income countries, can help to reduce suicide rates.

Suggested Citation

  • Daiane Borges Machado & Davide Rasella & Darci Neves dos Santos, 2015. "Impact of Income Inequality and Other Social Determinants on Suicide Rate in Brazil," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(4), pages 1-12, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0124934
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0124934
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    3. Lin, Chien-Yu & Hsu, Chia-Yueh & Gunnell, David & Chen, Ying-Yeh & Chang, Shu-Sen, 2019. "Spatial patterning, correlates, and inequality in suicide across 432 neighborhoods in Taipei City, Taiwan," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 222(C), pages 20-34.
    4. Feng Huang & Sijia Li & Dongqi Li & Meizi Yang & Huimin Ding & Yazheng Di & Tingshao Zhu, 2022. "The Impact of Mortality Salience, Negative Emotions and Cultural Values on Suicidal Ideation in COVID-19: A Conditional Process Model," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-15, July.
    5. Oscar J. Mujica & Dihui Zhang & Yi Hu & Isabel C. Espinosa & Nelson Araneda & Anca Dragomir & George Luta & Antonio Sanhueza, 2023. "Inequalities in Violent Death across Income Levels among Young Males and Females in Countries of the Americas," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(7), pages 1-11, March.
    6. Ray, Shaswata & Husain, Zakir, 2019. "To be, or not to be: A study of suicides in India," MPRA Paper 93891, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    7. Julián Alfredo Fernández-Niño & Claudia Iveth Astudillo-García & Ietza Bojorquez-Chapela & Evangelina Morales-Carmona & Airain Alejandra Montoya-Rodriguez & Lina Sofia Palacio-Mejia, 2016. "The Mexican Cycle of Suicide: A National Analysis of Seasonality, 2000-2013," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(1), pages 1-20, January.
    8. Perry, Seth W & Allison, Stephen & Bastiampillai, Tarun & Wong, Ma-Li & Licinio, Julio & Sharfstein, Steven S. & Wilcox, Holly C., 2019. "Rising US Suicides: Achieving Health Equity," OSF Preprints m5q64, Center for Open Science.
    9. 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.

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