Citation

Yang Lester B, Lester D. Appl. Econ. Lett. 2009; 16(2): 137-140.

Affiliation

Department of Economics & International Business, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, USA; Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, Pomona, NJ, USA

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/13504850601018189

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

In order to explore whether societies have a natural (nonzero) suicide rate, regression equations were derived predicting the suicide rate over the regions of 11 nations and over time in 13 nations from the divorce and unemployment rates. All of the regression equations had positive constant terms, indicating a nonzero, positive natural suicide when socio-economic conditions were set to minimize the suicide rate.