Socioeconomic disparities in the association between macroeconomic changes and suicide: a population-level time series study in Australia.

Abstract

BACKGROUND: In the current cost-of-living crisis, there is concern that sharp rises in annual inflation and the benchmark interest rate may increase suicide, particularly for vulnerable groups. We aimed to examine the association between relevant macroeconomic changes and suicide across the socioeconomic spectrum to inform policy responses. METHODS: In this population-level time series study, we obtained monthly suicide counts, annual inflation, and the cash rate from January 2006 to October 2023 for Australia. We also obtained related indictors, quarterly household saving to income ratio and owner-occupier housing debt to income ratio, for the same period. We conducted Poisson regression an..