Fiscal Austerity, Unemployment and Suicide Rates in Greece

Nikolaos Antonakakis

MPRA Paper from University Library of Munich, Germany

Abstract: This study examines the effects of fiscal austerity, among other socioeconomic variables, on suicide rates in Greece over the period 1968-2011. Our results suggest that fiscal austerity, higher unemployment rates, negative economic growth and reduced fertility rates, significantly increase suicide rates in Greece, while increased alcohol consumption and divorce rates do not exert any significant influence on suicide rates. Interestingly, the effects of fiscal austerity and economic growth are gender-specific, as fiscal austerity measures and negative economic growth significantly increase male suicide rates, while no significantly effects of fiscal austerity and negative economic growth on female suicide rates could be identified. Finally, the effects of fiscal austerity on suicide rate are also age-specific, affecting mostly the population between the ages of 45 and 89 years. These results have important implications for policy makers, and for the creation and implementation of specialised suicide prevention programs in Greece by national health agencies.

Keywords: Fiscal austerity; suicide rate; unemployment; debt crisis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C22 H30 H55 H62 I18 J11 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013-03-18
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-dem
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:pra:mprapa:45198

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