Economic growth and suicide rate changes: A case in China from 1982 to 2005

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: It is to estimate the trend of suicide rate changes during the past three decades in China and try to identify its social and economic correlates. METHODS: Official data of suicide rates and economic indexes during 1982-2005 from Shandong Province of China were analyzed. The suicide data were categorized for the rural / urban location and gender, and the economic indexes include GDP, GDP per capita, rural income, and urban income, all adjusted for inflation. RESULTS: We found a significant increase of economic development and decrease of suicide rates over the past decades under study. The suicide rate decrease is correlated with the tremendous growth of economy. CONCLUSION: The unusual decrease of Chinese suicide rates in the past decades is accounted for within the Chinese cultural contexts and maybe by the Strain Theory of Suicide.