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I pulled some WHO data for a collection of North American and European countries over the last thirty years[1], and while it's factually accurate that US suicid

I pulled some WHO data for a collection of North American and European countries over the last thirty years[1], and while it's factually accurate that US suicide rates are at a 30-year high the rate remains middle-of-the-pack for developed Western nations. The "surge" is a small absolute increase from the 30-year baseline. That does not make it any less tragic or less deserving of attention, but we should pick appropriately-scaled policy solutions instead of those we might use for a crisis. (The NPR piece today about suicide rates in Greenland strikes me as an extreme crisis.[2]) It's also worth noting, for all the people pointing out economic causes for increased suicide, that economically-battered Greece has by far the lowest suicide rate in this group. [1] http://imgur.com/OKnsBF4 http://imgur.com/OKnsBF4 [2] http://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2016/04/21/474847921/the-arctic-suicides-its-not-the-dark-that-kills-you http://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2016/04/21/47484792...

DanBC 11y ago
But did suicide rates in Greece go up, or stay the same? http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/5/3/e007295.full http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/5/3/e007295.full >Results The mean suicide rate overall rose by 35% between 2010 and 2012, from 3.37 to 4.56/100 000 population. The suicide mortality rate for men increased from 5.75 (2003–2010) to 7.43/100 000 (2011–2012; p<0.01). Among women, the suicide rate also rose, albeit less markedly, from 1.17 to 1.55 (p=0.03). When differentiated by age group, suicide mortality increased among both sexes in the age groups 20–59 and >60 years. We found that each additional percentage point of unemployment was associated with a 0.19/100 000 population rise in suicides (95% CI 0.11 to 0.26) among working age men. > Conclusions We found a clear increase in suicides among persons of working age, coinciding with austerity measures. These findings corroborate concerns that increased suicide risk in Greece is a health hazard associated with austerity measures.
- eastbayjake 11y ago
  They did go up, but in a country of only 11 million people Greece's low rate means annual suicides went up from approximately 370 people to 501 people. My point is simply that the relative measure (35%) might lead us to inappropriate policy solutions versus looking at absolute measures (131 additional suicide deaths in an entire country per year) or deviation from comparable nations.
ljf 11y ago
Was reading the other day on hn about the reporting of suicide on US death reports, and how it is common to track suicide or suspected suicide as accidental death. In Europe there are generally fewer chances to report this was as we (generally) do not have access to guns which make up the majority of accidental deaths recorded. So the suicide rates in the US are likely much higher that currently tracked or reported. Can't find original thread, but just found post linked to below. --- some detail here https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11551308 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11551308

DanBC 11y ago

But did suicide rates in Greece go up, or stay the same? http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/5/3/e007295.full http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/5/3/e007295.full >Results The mean suicide rate overall rose by 35% between 2010 and 2012, from 3.37 to 4.56/100 000 population. The suicide mortality rate for men increased from 5.75 (2003–2010) to 7.43/100 000 (2011–2012; p<0.01). Among women, the suicide rate also rose, albeit less markedly, from 1.17 to 1.55 (p=0.03). When differentiated by age group, suicide mortality increased among both sexes in the age groups 20–59 and >60 years. We found that each additional percentage point of unemployment was associated with a 0.19/100 000 population rise in suicides (95% CI 0.11 to 0.26) among working age men. > Conclusions We found a clear increase in suicides among persons of working age, coinciding with austerity measures. These findings corroborate concerns that increased suicide risk in Greece is a health hazard associated with austerity measures.

eastbayjake 11y ago
They did go up, but in a country of only 11 million people Greece's low rate means annual suicides went up from approximately 370 people to 501 people. My point is simply that the relative measure (35%) might lead us to inappropriate policy solutions versus looking at absolute measures (131 additional suicide deaths in an entire country per year) or deviation from comparable nations.

ljf 11y ago

Was reading the other day on hn about the reporting of suicide on US death reports, and how it is common to track suicide or suspected suicide as accidental death. In Europe there are generally fewer chances to report this was as we (generally) do not have access to guns which make up the majority of accidental deaths recorded. So the suicide rates in the US are likely much higher that currently tracked or reported. Can't find original thread, but just found post linked to below. --- some detail here https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11551308 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=11551308