Unemployment as a risk factor for completed suicide: A psychological autopsy study.

This study adopts a psychological autopsy method to compare (1) unemployed suicides, (2) other suicides who were either employed or not in the labor force, and (3) psychiatric outpatients without any prior suicidal behavior. A total of 245 consecutive suicides from Province of Parma (Italy) with recorded employment status were included in the analysis. New suicide prevention strategies for those who are facing job loss need to focus on social support and personality disorders, as well as hopelessness and despair.