Increase in suicides associated with home eviction and foreclosure during the US housing crisis: Findings from 16 national violent death reporting system states, 2005-2010

K.A. Fowler, R.M. Gladden, K.J. Vagi, J. Barnes and L. Frazier

American Journal of Public Health, 2015, vol. 105, issue 2, 311-316

Abstract: Objectives. We aimed to determine the frequency, characteristics, and precipitating circumstances of eviction- and foreclosure-related suicides during the US housing crisis, which resulted in historically high foreclosures and increased evictions beginning in 2006. Methods. We examined all eviction- and foreclosure-related suicides in the years 2005 to 2010 in 16 states in the National Violent Death Reporting System, a surveillance system for all violent deaths within participating states that abstracts information across multiple investigative sources (e.g., law enforcement, coroners, medical examiners). Results. We identified 929 eviction- or foreclosure-related suicides. Evictionand foreclosure-related suicides doubled from 2005 to 2010 (n = 88 in 2005; n = 176 in 2010), mostly because of foreclosure-related suicides, which increased 253% from 2005 (n = 30) to 2010 (n = 106). Most suicides occurred before the actual housing loss (79%), and 37% of decedents experienced acute eviction or foreclosure crises within 2 weeks of the suicide. Conclusions. Housing loss is a significant crisis that can precipitate suicide. Prevention strategies include support for those projected to lose homes, intervention before move-out date, training financial professionals to recognize warning signs, and strengthening population-wide suicide prevention measures during economic crises.

Keywords: adult; aged; economic recession; economics; epidemiology; female; health survey; housing; human; male; middle aged; risk factor; statistics and numerical data; suicide; United States; young adult, Adult; Aged; Economic Recession; Female; Housing; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Population Surveillance; Risk Factors; Suicide; United States; Young Adult (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (20)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2014.301945_1

DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2014.301945

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