Perceived Income Inequality and Suicide Rates in Central/Eastern European Countries and Western Countries, 1990-1993

The present study focuses on how perceived differences in income inequality impact suicide rates in 12 different countries, unlike most prior studies on income inequality & suicide that use measures of actual income inequality. Using G Jasso’s (1990) index on perceived income inequality, the author found that perceived income inequality is related more strongly & more consistently to male suicide rates than females suicide rates. Perceived income inequality was also found to account for most of the difference in the gender gap of male versus female suicide rates. (33 refs)