Citation

Baran A, Lester D, Krysinska K, Gmitrowicz A. Suicide Stud. 2022; 3(4): 49-62.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2022, David Lester)

DOI

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PMID

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Abstract

Previous research has revealed inconsistencies in the findings on the influence of socioeconomic factors on suicide and homicide rates. This ecological, cross-sectional study examines how socioeconomic factors influence regional suicide and homicide rates for the 16 counties of Poland between 2007 and 2016. Data for 13 independent socioeconomic variables were obtained for the 16 counties of Poland for 2007-2016 from the Statistics Poland database: sex ratio (females per 100 males), urbanization, population, population density, total emigration, total in-migration, income per capita, unemployment, mortality, infant mortality, marriage, divorce, and birth rates. These variables were subjected to a factor analysis and correlated with homicide and suicide rates. Treating the data set as panel data (i.e., 16 counties and 10 years, providing 160 data points) identified five factors for the socioeconomic variables. There were different patterns of correlations for suicide and homicide rates across the five factor scores. Moreover, the association between socioeconomic variables and suicide and homicide rates in the 16 counties varied across the years. Only some of the variables showed consistent associations over the years. For example, suicide rates were negatively and consistently associated with population density, while homicide rates were positively and consistently associated with divorce rates. Other associations were not always consistent. The results indicate that the associations of socioeconomic variables with suicide and homicide rates depend on the year chosen. A cross-sectional study using one-year data is insufficient to draw reliable conclusions about the influence of socioeconomic variables on rates of lethal violence. Consequently, monitoring the relationship between socioeconomic factors and suicide and homicide rates on a regular (yearly) basis is recommended in order to help policy makers to devise effective prevention strategies.

Language: en