Volume 23, Issue 90 (11-2023)
refahj 2023, 23(90): 53-88 |
Back to browse issues page
Download citation:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:
sezavar F, firoozy M, sezavar M. (2023). The effect of economic and social factors on the suicidal behavior of society in Iran (with emphasis on risk and economic instability). refahj. 23(90), 53-88. doi:10.32598/refahj.23.90.4311.1
URL: http://refahj.uswr.ac.ir/article-1-4183-en.html
URL: http://refahj.uswr.ac.ir/article-1-4183-en.html
Full-Text [PDF 939 kb]
(2055 Downloads)
| Abstract (HTML) (2556 Views)
Full-Text: (2869 Views)
Extended Abstract
Introduction
Suicide is an extreme act that comes from various motivations or negative life events. Warning signs for suicide include talking about wanting to die or feeling hopeless. Withdrawing from activities that were once enjoyed, expressing excessive guilt or shame; exhibiting high-risk behaviors, such as substance abuse; and sudden changes in mood or behavior are other warning signs of suicide. Since suicide can lead to other issues, like a domino, it is considered an important issue, even if it has not become a critical issue. Although mental and behavioral disorders in some cases have individual and family roots, studies show that these problems are intertwined with economic and social factors in different ways (Knapp & Wang, 2020). However, the mentioned factors do not have the same effect on all people and all countries. The analysis of the policies applied by some countries during the economic crisis reveals the relationship between these policies and their effect on the mental state of the population (Ruiz Perez et al., 2017). Job loss and reduced income are drivers of poverty and often precede episodes of mental illness (Olsen et al., 2013 & Aloush, 2018). Inflation and debt cause emotional exhaustion and psychological pressure (Lim et al., 2018 and Meltzer et al., 2010). Economic uncertainty leads to a positive relationship with job uncertainty and identity disorder and a negative relationship with mental well-being (Gudinic et al., 2020). Financial and economic crises in the world, such as the financial crisis of 2008, also confirm the impact of economic factors on the psyche of people in society. On the other hand, research consistently shows that divorced people generally face more mental health problems than married people. In such a way that the higher prevalence of mental disorders among the divorced is a constant finding in the social epidemiology of mental health (Amato, 2000; Lucas, 2005; Kalmijn, 2010).
In addition to this, crime and crimes that occur in any society are also considered as social factors that affect the psyche of society members, thus applying appropriate policies to reduce crime can have a positive effect on the psychological state of society members (Mohammednejad & Ahmadi,2013). Besides, the role of different age groups in the society is also important in the prevalence of mental disorders in the society, which has not been investigated in any study in our country.
Considering that the identification and the degree of influence of each of the economic and social factors affecting the mental state of the people in the society can provide the basis for the pathology and prevention of many human consequences, therefore, the aim of this research is to study the impact of the economic and social factors, and it is significant on suicidal behavior in Iran with emphasis on risk and economic instabilities.
Method
Regression is used to measure or estimate relationships between economic variables. Among the various linear regression methods, ordinary least squares regression is known as the most widely used and dominant method that describes the relationship between one or more independent variables and a dependent quantity. This method, commonly referred to as OLS, was originally proposed by the famous German mathematician Carl Friedrich Gauss in the 18th century. In the regression model analyzed in this study, suicide is expressed as a function of variables affecting it as follows:
SUI=F (cpi,div,L,age5069,cri,gini,risk)
where in:
Sui: suicide rate as a percentage of the country’s population
Cpi: consumer price index
L :employment rate as a percentage of the active population of the society
Age5069: The age ratio of the population aged 50 to 69 to the rest of the country’s population
Cri: crime rate in society as a percentage of the country’s population
Gini: Gini coefficient (income distribution index)
Risk: is an indicator of risk and instability in the economy.
Source :Research Findings
Findings
The estimation results show that the influence of the variables is in accordance with the theoretical expectations. Also, statistically, the estimation results are significant. Based on the results, the effect of the general level of prices, divorce, crime rate, income inequality and wealth in the society (with a break) as well as economic instability on suicide, positive and the effect of employment and the age ratio of the 50 to 69-year-old population to the rest of the country’s population on suicide, it is negative. The noteworthy point is the role of income inequality and wealth distribution on suicidal behavior, which shows the greatest impact. In other words, although factors such as inflation or economic instability leave a significant impact, the existence of economic inequality in society increases the feeling of relative deprivation of people and has a greater impact on the mental health of society.
Discussion
Since economic risk and instability are effective on suicide, therefore, the government’s efforts and efforts to adopt correct economic policies in the financial, budgetary, monetary and currency fields are very important. The increase in the price level, the growth in the divorce rate, and the increase in the crime rate in the society are also related to the increase in the risk of suicide. The point to consider is the significant impact of the inequality of income distribution in the society on the suicide rate. Considering this significant effect on the suicide rate, reducing inequality is actually an economic solution that the country’s politicians can implement.
Also, despite the fact that suicide is more common in the elderly population of European and American countries, in our country, the elderly do this less often, and the evidence of this study also showed that with the increase in the age ratio of the population, suicide decreases. Maybe the reason for this is that the elderly have more religious sweat than the young. The positive causal relationship between the crime rate in the society and the suicide rate is also indicative of the impact of environmental stressors on the tendency to commit suicide. Therefore, efforts to reduce environmental and family stressors through support organizations, mental health education, or culture building can be considered as other solutions to reduce the suicide trend in society.
Other policies such as unemployment benefits as well as tax credits and subsidies can also be effective. Other policies that are not directly related to unemployment, but that support those who are struggling financially, may also protect against suicide risk.
Funding
There is no funding support
Authors’ Contribution
Authors contributed equally to the conceptualization and writing of the article. All of the authors approved the content of the manuscript and agreed on all aspects of the work.
Conflict of Interest
Authors declared no conflict of interest.
Acknowledgments
We are grateful to all the scientific consultants of in this paper.
Alloush, M. (2018). Income, psychological well-being, and the dynamics of poverty: Evidence from South Amato, P. R. (2000). The consequences of divorce for adults and children. Journal of marriage and family, 62(4), 1269-1287.
Godinić, D., & Obrenovic, B. (2020). Effects of economic uncertainty on mental health in the COVID-19 pandemic context: social identity disturbance, job uncertainty and psychological well-being model.
Kalmijn, M. (2010). Country differences in the effects of divorce on well-being: The role of norms, support, and selectivity. European Sociological Review, 26(4), 475-490.
Knapp, M., & Wong, G. (2020). Economics and mental health: the current scenario. World Psychiatry, 19(1), 3-14.
Lim, A. Y., Lee, S. H., Jeon, Y., Yoo, R., & Jung, H. Y. (2018). Job-seeking stress, mental health problems, and the role of perceived social support in university graduates in Korea. Journal of Korean Medical Science, 33(19).
Lucas, R. E. (2005). Time does not heal all wounds: A longitudinal study of reaction and adaptation to divorce. Psychological science, 16(12), 945-950.
Mohammadnejad, N & Ahmadi, A.M (2013) Analysis of socio-economic factors affecting mental health in Iran, Journal of Social Health, second period, number 2, 117-126
Olesen, S. C., Butterworth, P., Leach, L. S., Kelaher, M., & Pirkis, J. (2013). Mental health affects future employment as job loss affects mental health: findings from a longitudinal population study. BMC psychiatry, 13(1), 1-9..
Ruiz-Pérez, I., Bermúdez-Tamayo, C., & Rodríguez-Barranco, M. (2017). Socio-economic factors linked with mental health during the recession: a multilevel analysis. International journal for equity in health, 16(1), 1-8.
Introduction
Suicide is an extreme act that comes from various motivations or negative life events. Warning signs for suicide include talking about wanting to die or feeling hopeless. Withdrawing from activities that were once enjoyed, expressing excessive guilt or shame; exhibiting high-risk behaviors, such as substance abuse; and sudden changes in mood or behavior are other warning signs of suicide. Since suicide can lead to other issues, like a domino, it is considered an important issue, even if it has not become a critical issue. Although mental and behavioral disorders in some cases have individual and family roots, studies show that these problems are intertwined with economic and social factors in different ways (Knapp & Wang, 2020). However, the mentioned factors do not have the same effect on all people and all countries. The analysis of the policies applied by some countries during the economic crisis reveals the relationship between these policies and their effect on the mental state of the population (Ruiz Perez et al., 2017). Job loss and reduced income are drivers of poverty and often precede episodes of mental illness (Olsen et al., 2013 & Aloush, 2018). Inflation and debt cause emotional exhaustion and psychological pressure (Lim et al., 2018 and Meltzer et al., 2010). Economic uncertainty leads to a positive relationship with job uncertainty and identity disorder and a negative relationship with mental well-being (Gudinic et al., 2020). Financial and economic crises in the world, such as the financial crisis of 2008, also confirm the impact of economic factors on the psyche of people in society. On the other hand, research consistently shows that divorced people generally face more mental health problems than married people. In such a way that the higher prevalence of mental disorders among the divorced is a constant finding in the social epidemiology of mental health (Amato, 2000; Lucas, 2005; Kalmijn, 2010).
In addition to this, crime and crimes that occur in any society are also considered as social factors that affect the psyche of society members, thus applying appropriate policies to reduce crime can have a positive effect on the psychological state of society members (Mohammednejad & Ahmadi,2013). Besides, the role of different age groups in the society is also important in the prevalence of mental disorders in the society, which has not been investigated in any study in our country.
Considering that the identification and the degree of influence of each of the economic and social factors affecting the mental state of the people in the society can provide the basis for the pathology and prevention of many human consequences, therefore, the aim of this research is to study the impact of the economic and social factors, and it is significant on suicidal behavior in Iran with emphasis on risk and economic instabilities.
Method
Regression is used to measure or estimate relationships between economic variables. Among the various linear regression methods, ordinary least squares regression is known as the most widely used and dominant method that describes the relationship between one or more independent variables and a dependent quantity. This method, commonly referred to as OLS, was originally proposed by the famous German mathematician Carl Friedrich Gauss in the 18th century. In the regression model analyzed in this study, suicide is expressed as a function of variables affecting it as follows:
SUI=F (cpi,div,L,age5069,cri,gini,risk)
where in:
Sui: suicide rate as a percentage of the country’s population
Cpi: consumer price index
L :employment rate as a percentage of the active population of the society
Age5069: The age ratio of the population aged 50 to 69 to the rest of the country’s population
Cri: crime rate in society as a percentage of the country’s population
Gini: Gini coefficient (income distribution index)
Risk: is an indicator of risk and instability in the economy.
The model estimation results are reflected in table one.
| احتمال | آماره t | ضریب | متغیر |
| 0.12 | -1.66 | -0.014 | C |
| 0.01 | 2.96 | 0.001 | Cpi |
| 0.00 | 4.50 | 0.033 | Div |
| 0.01 | -3.07 | -0.065 | L |
| 0.02 | -2.77 | -0.084 | Age5069 |
| 0.00 | 4.35 | 0.003 | cri |
| 0.00 | 6.08 | 0.095 | Gini(-1) |
| 0.01 | 3.12 | 0.014 | risk |
| R2=0.95 F=34.7(Prob=0.00) dw=1.9 | |||
Source :Research Findings
Findings
The estimation results show that the influence of the variables is in accordance with the theoretical expectations. Also, statistically, the estimation results are significant. Based on the results, the effect of the general level of prices, divorce, crime rate, income inequality and wealth in the society (with a break) as well as economic instability on suicide, positive and the effect of employment and the age ratio of the 50 to 69-year-old population to the rest of the country’s population on suicide, it is negative. The noteworthy point is the role of income inequality and wealth distribution on suicidal behavior, which shows the greatest impact. In other words, although factors such as inflation or economic instability leave a significant impact, the existence of economic inequality in society increases the feeling of relative deprivation of people and has a greater impact on the mental health of society.
Discussion
Since economic risk and instability are effective on suicide, therefore, the government’s efforts and efforts to adopt correct economic policies in the financial, budgetary, monetary and currency fields are very important. The increase in the price level, the growth in the divorce rate, and the increase in the crime rate in the society are also related to the increase in the risk of suicide. The point to consider is the significant impact of the inequality of income distribution in the society on the suicide rate. Considering this significant effect on the suicide rate, reducing inequality is actually an economic solution that the country’s politicians can implement.
Also, despite the fact that suicide is more common in the elderly population of European and American countries, in our country, the elderly do this less often, and the evidence of this study also showed that with the increase in the age ratio of the population, suicide decreases. Maybe the reason for this is that the elderly have more religious sweat than the young. The positive causal relationship between the crime rate in the society and the suicide rate is also indicative of the impact of environmental stressors on the tendency to commit suicide. Therefore, efforts to reduce environmental and family stressors through support organizations, mental health education, or culture building can be considered as other solutions to reduce the suicide trend in society.
Other policies such as unemployment benefits as well as tax credits and subsidies can also be effective. Other policies that are not directly related to unemployment, but that support those who are struggling financially, may also protect against suicide risk.
Funding
There is no funding support
Authors’ Contribution
Authors contributed equally to the conceptualization and writing of the article. All of the authors approved the content of the manuscript and agreed on all aspects of the work.
Conflict of Interest
Authors declared no conflict of interest.
Acknowledgments
We are grateful to all the scientific consultants of in this paper.
Alloush, M. (2018). Income, psychological well-being, and the dynamics of poverty: Evidence from South Amato, P. R. (2000). The consequences of divorce for adults and children. Journal of marriage and family, 62(4), 1269-1287.
Godinić, D., & Obrenovic, B. (2020). Effects of economic uncertainty on mental health in the COVID-19 pandemic context: social identity disturbance, job uncertainty and psychological well-being model.
Kalmijn, M. (2010). Country differences in the effects of divorce on well-being: The role of norms, support, and selectivity. European Sociological Review, 26(4), 475-490.
Knapp, M., & Wong, G. (2020). Economics and mental health: the current scenario. World Psychiatry, 19(1), 3-14.
Lim, A. Y., Lee, S. H., Jeon, Y., Yoo, R., & Jung, H. Y. (2018). Job-seeking stress, mental health problems, and the role of perceived social support in university graduates in Korea. Journal of Korean Medical Science, 33(19).
Lucas, R. E. (2005). Time does not heal all wounds: A longitudinal study of reaction and adaptation to divorce. Psychological science, 16(12), 945-950.
Mohammadnejad, N & Ahmadi, A.M (2013) Analysis of socio-economic factors affecting mental health in Iran, Journal of Social Health, second period, number 2, 117-126
Olesen, S. C., Butterworth, P., Leach, L. S., Kelaher, M., & Pirkis, J. (2013). Mental health affects future employment as job loss affects mental health: findings from a longitudinal population study. BMC psychiatry, 13(1), 1-9..
Ruiz-Pérez, I., Bermúdez-Tamayo, C., & Rodríguez-Barranco, M. (2017). Socio-economic factors linked with mental health during the recession: a multilevel analysis. International journal for equity in health, 16(1), 1-8.
Type of Study: orginal |
Subject:
life of satisfaction
Received: 2023/02/28 | Accepted: 2023/06/17 | Published: 2023/11/27
Received: 2023/02/28 | Accepted: 2023/06/17 | Published: 2023/11/27
Send email to the article author
| Rights and permissions | |
 |
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. |
Contact Information
Social Welfare Quarterly
Social Welfare Quarterly, Social Welfare Research Department, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation, Daneshjoo Blvd, Evin, Tehran, Iran, 19857-13834
Journal Tel: 02171732851
Website: http://refahj.uswr.ac.ir
Email: refahj@uswr.ac.ir
