Aug 3, 2014

The Great Recession Probably Caused 7000 to 10000 excess suicides in the USA but saved lives by reducing car travel

In the United States, the suicide rate, which had slowly risen since 2000, jumped during and after the 2007-09 recession. A new book [The Body Economic: Why Austerity Kills] estimates that 4,750 'excess' suicides — that is, deaths above what pre-existing trends would predict — occurred from 2007 to 2010. Rates of such suicides were significantly greater in the states that experienced the greatest job losses. Deaths from suicide overtook deaths from car crashes in 2009."

Read more // Next Big Future