Transitions of employment status among suicide attempters during a severe economic recession

Previous studies have shown a positive association between unemployment and attempted suicide. This study investigated transitions of employment statu s among suicide attempters during the severe economic recession. The main r esearch question was whether inequality in the labour market also prevails among as selected a population as suicide attempters. The material consiste d of 2495 persons who attempted suicide during 1989-1994 in Helsinki, Finla nd. Logistic regression analysis and survival analysis were used. Unemploym ent rates among suicide attempters were higher than in the general populati on, male rates being higher than female rates throughout the recession. The re were significant changes in the employment status of the entire attempte d suicide population from 1989 to 1994, especially in terms of the transiti on from employment to unemployment. Gender, age and education level predict ed exit from the labour market. Among suicide attempters young middle-aged men with low education had the highest risk of unemployment. (C) 2001 Elsev ier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.