Citation

Solano P, Pizzorno E, Pompili M, Serafini G, Amore M. Ir. J. Psychol. Med. 2018; 35(1): 75-86.

Affiliation

1Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI),Section of Psychiatry,University of Genoa,Genoa,Italy.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Irish Institute of Psychological Medicine)

DOI

10.1017/ipm.2017.57

PMID

30115208

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Suicide is a complex phenomenon determined by the interplay of an articulated network of factors including socio-economic factors which have a decisive role. This paper investigates the development of the modern conceptualization of suicide in Europe, its sociological understandings and its intertwinement with economic cycles throughout time.

METHODS: MEDLINE, SCHOLAR, EMBASE using the keywords 'socioeconomic factors AND suicide'; 'economic cycles AND suicide'; 'history AND suicide' without timeframe limitations. Moreover, journal-by-journal search in journals of related areas was performed.

RESULTS: In total, 51 historical studies focusing on the subjects in European countries were included. Three main areas arose: (a) development of the conceptualization of suicide over time; (b) sociological understandings of suicide according to the structure of society and its economy of power; (c) economic theories explaining the intertwinement of economic cycles and suicides.

CONCLUSIONS: Suicide is a deeply human phenomenon inescapably linked to and grounded in society and economic cycles. Understandings from the past show the importance of accurate analysis of socio-economic contexts that shape societies together with man's own sense of self in order to organize multi-layered tangible and intangible support strategies to better understand and prevent suicide in this day and age.

Language: en

Keywords

Economic cycles and suicide; history of suicide; socio-economic factors and suicide; sociology and suicide; suicide