Search results for ‘Subject term:"mental health problems"’ Sort:
Results 1 - 2 of 2
Dying from inequality: socioeconomic disadvantage and suicidal behaviour. Summary report, 2017
- Author:
- SAMARITANS
- Publisher:
- Samaritans
- Publication year:
- 2017
- Pagination:
- 27
- Place of publication:
- Ewell
This report explores the links between socioeconomic disadvantage and suicidal behaviour, setting out how low income and unmanageable debt, unemployment, poor housing, and other socioeconomic factors contribute to high suicide rates in the most disadvantaged communities. The report finds that suicide risk increases during periods of economic recession while countries with higher levels of per capita spending on active labour market programmes, and which have more generous unemployment benefits, experience lower recession-related rises in suicides. There is a strong association between area-level deprivation and suicidal behaviour: suicide rates are two to three times higher in the most deprived neighbourhoods compared to the most affluent. The risk of suicidal behaviour increases when an individual faces negative life events, such as adversity, relationship breakdown, social isolation, or experiences stigma, emotional distress or poor mental health. Socioeconomically disadvantaged individuals are more likely to experience ongoing stress and negative life events, thus increasing their risk of suicidal behaviour. In the UK, socioeconomically disadvantaged individuals are less likely to seek help for mental health problems than the more affluent, and are less likely to be referred to specialist mental health services following self-harm by GPs located in deprived areas. The report makes a number of recommendations for action, and calls on government, businesses, industry and sector leaders to work together so that fewer people die by suicide. (Edited publisher abstract)
Socioeconomic disadvantage and suicidal behaviour: full report
- Editor:
- SAMARITANS
- Publisher:
- Samaritans
- Publication year:
- 2017
- Pagination:
- 181
- Place of publication:
- Ewell
This report provides evidence of a strong link between socioeconomic disadvantage and suicidal behaviour, providing a deeper understanding of the nature of this association, how it might be explained, and a consideration of the implications for policy and practice. The report explores key issues from different disciplinary perspectives, including economics, geography, psychology, public health, social policy and sociology, focusing on: the impact of place on suicidal behaviour; socioeconomic disadvantage and suicidal behaviour during times of economic recession and recovery; social and labour market policies and suicidal behaviour; psychological factors underpinning the relationship between socioeconomic disadvantage and suicidal behaviour; a qualitative synthesis of the accounts of those who have self-harmed; and how people in the UK understand the impacts of socioeconomic disadvantage on their mental health and risk factors for suicide. The report finds that unemployment is a key risk factor for suicidal behaviour in men while the association is weaker for women; and the higher risk for men is exacerbated during a downturn or period of economic growth. Recognising the important role of labour market policies in shaping the experience and occurrence of unemployment and job insecurity, the report also examines how suicidal behaviour and related common mental disorders could be reduced through labour market policy design. The report also finds that the risk of suicidal behaviour increases when an individual faces negative life events, such as adversity, relationship breakdown, social isolation, or experiences stigma, emotional distress or poor mental health. Socioeconomically disadvantaged individuals are more likely to experience ongoing stress and negative life events, thus increasing their risk of suicidal behaviour. In addition, the report explores how people understand the impacts of socioeconomic disadvantage on their mental health and risk factors for suicide. The report makes a number of recommendations for action, and calls on government, businesses, industry and sector leaders to work together so that fewer people die by suicide. (Edited publisher abstract)