Analysis of the impact of socio-economic factors on the number of suicide cases in European countries

Abstract

Suicide rates in Europe have in the recent years reached a disturbingly high level, sparking frequent discussions on the topic of mental health and suicide prevention, which significantly affect not only individuals but also their environment. The aim of this paper was to analyse the impact of the socio-economic situation on suicide rates using panel data analysis. The study presents an overview of the related literature and the definitions of essential terms concerning suicide, as well as the socio-economic factors determining suicide rates. The parameters of a fixed effects model were estimated, interpreted and compared with the results of earlier research. The analysis of the selected dataset showed that GDP per capita and the Gini coefficient have a negative and statistically insignificant impact on suicide rates. On the other hand, the conducted research showed that high divorce and unemployment rates, risk of poverty, social exclusion and excessive alcohol consumption proved to be statistically significant, thus increasing suicide rates.