Suicidality, Economic Shocks, and Egalitarian Gender Norms

Abstract

Durkheim conceived of suicide as a product of social integration and regulation. Although the sociology of suicide has focused on the role of disintegration, to our knowledge, the interaction between integration and regulation has yet to be empirically evaluated. In this article we test whether more egalitarian gender norms, an important form of macro-regulation, protects men and women against suicidality during economic shocks. Using cross-national data covering 20 European Union countries from the years 1991 to 2011, including the recent economic crises in Europe, we first assessed the relation between unemployment and suicide. Then we evaluated potential effect modification using three measures of gender equality, the gender ratio in labour force participation, the gender pay gap, and women's representation in parliament using multiple measures. We found no evidence of a significant, direct link between greater gender equality and suicide rates in either men or women. However, a greater degree of gender equality helped protect against suicidality associated with economic shocks. At relatively high levels of gender equality in Europe, such as those seen in Sweden and Austria, the relationship between rising unemployment rates and suicide in men disappeared altogether. Our findings suggest that more egalitarian forms of gender regulation may help buffer the suicidal consequences of economic shocks, especially in men.

Figure 1

Trends in unemployment rates and the age-standardized suicide rates per 100,000 (A) men and (B) women, 24 EU countries, 2000–2011. Note: Luxembourg, Malta, and Cyprus are excluded. Source: WHO Health for All European Mortality database 2013 edition; EuroStat 2013 edition.

Figure 2

Conceptual model of the association between the economic shocks and gender regulation with suicide. Note: The transition from economic security to economic insecurity is what constitutes an economic shock.

Figure 3

Unemployment and suicide, by gender, 20 EU countries, 1991–2011. Note: Luxembourg, Malta, and Cyprus are excluded. Source: WHO Health for All European Mortality database 2013 edition; OECD 2013 edition. Male and female unemployment both measured as a 1 per cent point increase. All models estimate the association of the change in the suicide rate with the corresponding age band. For example, the change in the male suicide rate for ages 25–64 years is regressed on the change in the male unemployment rate for the same ages. All models correct for year- and country-specific time trends. Confidence intervals are based on standard errors corrected for repeated observations.

Figure 4

The association between unemployment and suicide declines as countries become more gender equal. Note: Figures drawn from estimates in Table 4. To interpret the level of gender equality (measured as z-scores), the following are representative countries: Bulgaria ~ −0.5, Hungary ~ −1, Austria ~ 0, the Netherlands ~ 0.5, Denmark ~ 1, Finland ~ 2.