Unemployment and Male-Female Labor Force Participation as Determinants of Changing Suicide Rates of Males and Females in Quebec

The authors review the effect of economic conditions, particularly unemployment, on suicide rates and conclude that fluctuations in the Quebec economy was one of the many social factors which contributed to increasing suicide rates from 1966 to 1981. The study reports a positive association between unemployment of both male & females suicide rates for specific age groups. The overall percentage increase was 121% for the unemployment rate & 163% for the total population suicide rate. (DLD)