Association Between Unemployment and Suicide During COVID-19
Abstract
Background: The current pandemic has disrupted the whole globe in a couple of months and along with it has brought several major issues. One of those global threats is the rapidly increasing unemployment and the impending threat of suicides associated with it.
Methods: Through a narrative review analysis the current study has tried to identify the probable rate of suicides by utilizing the findings of previous literature.
Results: The findings suggest that during the previous economic recession period of 2008, there was an exponential increase in the suicide rates across the globe between 20% to 30%. Likewise, the current pandemic scenario also indicates towards a massive unemployment rate, which could eventually lead to an increase in the suicidal rates.
Conclusions: The present condition is in dire need for policies and interventional strategies to encounter this issue at hand. The current review is an effort for calling out authorities to take necessary precautionary measures to protect several lives at risk.
Downloads
References
Asian Development Bank. (2020b). Asian Development Outlook 2020: What Drives Innovation in Asia? Adb, 1–391. https://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/publication/575626/ado2020.pdf
Fernandes, N. (2020). Economic Effects of Coronavirus Outbreak (COVID-19) on the World Economy. SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3557504
International Labour Organization. (2020a). Almost 25 million jobs could be lost worldwide as a result of COVID-19, says ILO. International Labour Organization (ILO). https://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/newsroom/news/WCMS_738742/lang--en/index.htm
International Labour Organization. (2020b). COVID-19: Protecting workers in the workplace: Almost 25 million jobs could be lost worldwide as a result of COVID-19, says ILO. International Labour Organization (ILO). https://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/newsroom/news/WCMS_738742/lang--en/index.htm
Kawohl, W., & Nordt, C. (2020). COVID-19, unemployment, and suicide. The Lancet Psychiatry, 7(5), 389–390.
Nordt, C., Warnke, I., Seifritz, E., & Kawohl, W. (2015). Modelling suicide and unemployment: A longitudinal analysis covering 63 countries, 2000-11. The Lancet Psychiatry, 2(3), 239–245. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(14)00118-7
Odoemenam, K. (2020). IMPACT OF COVID-19 0N THE ECONOMY (GLOBAL, AFRICA AND NIGERIA). Medium. https://medium.com/@kennethodoemenam/impact-of-covid-19-0n-the-economy-global-africa-and-nigeria-3af1386726da
Rana, S. (2020). Coronavirus forecast to render 18.5m jobless in Pakistan | The Express Tribune. Tribune. https://tribune.com.pk/story/2189904/2-coronavirus-forecast-render-18-5m-jobless/
Reeves, A., McKee, M., & Stuckler, D. (2014). Economic suicides in the Great Recession in Europe and North America. British Journal of Psychiatry, 205(3), 246–247. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.bp.114.144766
Shuja, H. K., Aqeel, M., Jaffar, A., & Ahmed, A. (2020). COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND IMPENDING GLOBAL MENTAL HEALTH IMPLICATIONS. Psychiatria Danubina, 32(1), 32–35. https://doi.org/10.24869/psyd.2020.32
World Bank. (2019). Pakistan - Employment To Population Ratio, Ages 15-24, Male - 1991-2019 Data | 2020 Forecast. Trading Economics. https://tradingeconomics.com/pakistan/employment-to-population-ratio-ages-15-24-male-percent-wb-data.html
World Health Organisation. (2016). WHO | Suicide data. In WHO Website (p. 1). World Health Organization. http://www.who.int/mental_health/prevention/suicide/suicideprevent/en/
World Health Organization. (2014). Preventing suicide: A global imperative. In Geneva: WHO Press. World Health Organization.
World Health Organization. (2020). Suicide. https://www.who.int/health-topics/suicide#tab=tab_1
