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The associations between suicides, economic conditions and social isolation: Insights from Spain

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  • Carla Blázquez-Fernández
  • David Cantarero-Prieto

Abstract

Suicide is among the main challenges that need to be addressed in developed countries. In this paper, we analyse suicides across the 17 Spanish regions over the period 2014–2019. More precisely, our objective is to re-study the determinants of suicides focusing on the latest economic expansion period. We use count panel data models and sex stratification. A range of aggregate socioeconomic regional-level factors have been identified. Our empirical results show that: (1) a socioeconomic urban-rural suicide gaps exist; (2) there are significant gender differences, for the women a Mediterranean suicide pattern appears whereas unemployment levels have a significant importance for men, (3) social isolation factors, when significant, they show an (a priori) surprisingly positive result. We provide new highlights for suicide prevention in Spain. Precisely, it is highlighted that jointly policies by gender and attending to vulnerable groups are both necessary.

Suggested Citation

  • Carla Blázquez-Fernández & David Cantarero-Prieto, 2023. "The associations between suicides, economic conditions and social isolation: Insights from Spain," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 18(7), pages 1-7, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0288234
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0288234
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Carla Blázquez-Fernández & David Cantarero-Prieto & Marta Pascual-Sáez, 2017. "What Does It Drive the Relationship Between Suicides and Economic Conditions? New Evidence from Spain," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 130(3), pages 1087-1099, February.
    2. Abdou, Rawayda & Cassells, Damien & Berrill, Jenny & Hanly, Jim, 2022. "Revisiting the relationship between economic uncertainty and suicide: An alternative approach," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 306(C).
    3. Cameron, A Colin & Trivedi, Pravin K, 1986. "Econometric Models Based on Count Data: Comparisons and Applications of Some Estimators and Tests," Journal of Applied Econometrics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 1(1), pages 29-53, January.
    4. Finlay, Jessica M. & Kobayashi, Lindsay C., 2018. "Social isolation and loneliness in later life: A parallel convergent mixed-methods case study of older adults and their residential contexts in the Minneapolis metropolitan area, USA," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 208(C), pages 25-33.
    5. Almudena Moreno-Lostao & Gregorio Barrio & Luis Sordo & Lucía Cea-Soriano & David Martínez & Enrique Regidor, 2019. "Mortality in working-age population during the Great Recession and austerity in Spain," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(6), pages 1-13, June.
    6. Abdou, Rawayda & Cassells, Damien & Berrill, Jenny & Hanly, Jim, 2020. "An empirical investigation of the relationship between business performance and suicide in the US," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 264(C).
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