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Gender difference in suicide, household production and unemployment

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  • Andy Chung

Abstract

This article aims to explain why men's suicide rate is generally higher than women's and why the former tends to fluctuate with unemployment. Adopting Hamermesh and Soss's suicide model (1974), with a two-period household production model, I argue that (1) the gender gap in suicide rate increases with the unemployment rate, because unemployed men suffer a larger 'human capital loss', due to the division of labour within their household and (2) men's suicide rate is generally higher than women's because of the shorter expected life of the former. Both international and US evidences support this hypothesis.

Suggested Citation

  • Andy Chung, 2009. "Gender difference in suicide, household production and unemployment," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 41(19), pages 2495-2504.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:applec:v:41:y:2009:i:19:p:2495-2504
    DOI: 10.1080/00036840802599446
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Milton Friedman, 1957. "A Theory of the Consumption Function," NBER Books, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc, number frie57-1, August.
    2. David M. Cutler & Edward L. Glaeser & Karen E. Norberg, 2001. "Explaining the Rise in Youth Suicide," NBER Chapters, in: Risky Behavior among Youths: An Economic Analysis, pages 219-270, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    3. Milton Friedman, 1957. "Introduction to "A Theory of the Consumption Function"," NBER Chapters, in: A Theory of the Consumption Function, pages 1-6, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
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    Cited by:

    1. Zhai, Muxin & Kishan, Ruby P. & Showalter, Dean, 2022. "Social capital and suicidal behaviors: Evidence from the United States counties," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    2. Evan Lau & Siti Nur Zahara Hamzah & Sandra Chia Chia Tan & Biagio Simonetti, 2017. "Suicide and socioeconomic determinants in Canada: beyond morality and philosophy," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 51(4), pages 1843-1858, July.
    3. Brice Kamguia & Enock Kojo Ayesu & Mélanie Djuikom, 2025. "Do ICTs Increase Suicide Rates? Evidence from OECD Countries," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 16(5), pages 16612-16636, November.
    4. Mohseni-Cheraghlou, Amin, 2013. "Labor markets and mental wellbeing: Labor market conditions and suicides in the United States (1979–2004)," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 175-186.
    5. Min-Ah Lee & Seokho Kim & Eun-Jung Shim, 2013. "Exposure to suicide and suicidality in Korea: Differential effects across men and women?," International Journal of Social Psychiatry, , vol. 59(3), pages 224-231, May.
    6. Scourfield, Jonathan & Fincham, Ben & Langer, Susanne & Shiner, Michael, 2012. "Sociological autopsy: An integrated approach to the study of suicide in men," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 74(4), pages 466-473.

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