Unemployment-Related Suicides in North Carolina, 2004-2010

BACKGROUND:  Unemployment is one of many factors that can contribute to suicide. Due to the increase in the unemployment rate in North Carolina in recent years (peaking at 11.4% in January-February 2010), suicides related to unemployment are of particular concern. The North Carolina Violent Death Reporting System (NC-VDRS) collects data on all suicides in the state, including the circumstances that contributed to each death. The objective of this study was to gain a more thorough understanding of the circumstances that contributed to unemployment-related suicides in order to inform suicide prevention programs.

METHODS:  The NC-VDRS was used to identify all suicides from 2004-2010 among North Carolina residents for which a job problem was a precipitating circumstance. More detailed information about each decedent’s job problem was abstracted from the medical examiner and law enforcement narratives in order to identify suicides related to unemployment. The industries in which the decedents usually worked were identified from death certificate data captured by the NC-VDRS. Demographic information was calculated using SAS 9.3, as well as the frequency of other precipitating circumstances for these deaths.

RESULTS:  From 2004-2010, the NC-VDRS identified 397 suicides for which unemployment was a precipitating circumstance. Eighty-five percent of decedents were male (compared to 77% of all suicide decedents for the same time period), 90% were white, and decedents ranged in age from 19 to 72. For 60% of decedents, a job loss was a precipitating factor in their death, while the inability to find a job was a factor for 18% and the inability to work because of a health problem or disability was a factor for 7%. The most common industries in which the decedents usually worked before becoming unemployed were construction and manufacturing. Many of the decedents had other circumstances that contributed to the suicide, in addition to unemployment. Thirty-five percent of decedents had an intimate partner problem (such as a divorce or break-up), 26% had a financial problem, 20% had an alcohol problem, 15% had a substance abuse problem, and for 2009-2010, 8% were evicted or lost their home. Analysis is ongoing, and trend data will be presented at the conference.

CONCLUSIONS:  Unemployment contributed to the suicide deaths of nearly 400 North Carolina residents over seven years. Gaining a better understanding of the circumstances that led to these deaths will aid health departments and community organizations in designing suicide prevention strategies that address the issue of unemployment.