Hostname: page-component-84b7d79bbc-lrf7s Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-28T16:41:43.251Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Effects of socioeconomic factors on secular trends in suicide in Japan, 1953–86

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 July 2008

Y. Motohashi
Y. Motohashi
Affiliation:
Department of Hygiene and Chronomedicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Japan
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

The effects of socioeconomic factors on secular trends in suicide rates in Japan for the periods 1953–72 and 1973–86 were investigated using twelve socioeconomic indicators. Multiple regression analysis showed that the socioeconomic indicators affecting suicide rates were not identical in the two periods. The rates in both sexes in 1953–72 were closely related to unemployment rate and the labour force but between 1973 and 1986, divorce rate and the proportion in tertiary industry were most influential. The changes reflect the socioeconomic changes in industrial structure in Japan in transition from an industrial to a service economy.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Biosocial Science , Volume 23 , Issue 2 , April 1991 , pp. 221 - 227
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1991

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Araki, S. & Murata, K. (1984) Suicide mortality in Japan: changes during the past 15 years and the effects of social and demographic factors (in Japanese, English summary). Jap. J. publ. Hlth, 31, 651.Google Scholar
Araki, S. & Murata, K. (1986) Suicide mortality in Japan: analysis of the unusual secular trends. Tohoku J. exp. Med. 149, 205.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Araki, S. & Murata, K. (1987) Suicide in Japan: socioeconomic effects on its secular and seasonal trends. Suicide Life-Threat. Behav. 17, 64.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Boor, M. (1980) Relationship between unemployment rates and suicide rates in eight countries, 1962–1976. Psychol. Rep. 47, 1095.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cormier, H. J. & Klerman, G. L. (1985) Unemployment and male-female labor force participation as determinants of changing suicide rates of males and females in Quebec. Social Psychiat. 20, 109.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fukutake, T. (1989) The Japanese Social Structure. University of Tokyo Press, Tokyo.Google Scholar
Japan Economic Planning Agency (1987) Annual Report on National Accounts (in Japanese). Ministry of Finance Printing Office, Tokyo.Google Scholar
Japan Ministry of Health and Welfare (1955–1988) Vital Statistics 1953–1986, Japan (in Japanese). Kousei Toukei Kyokai, Tokyo.Google Scholar
Japan Ministry of Labour (1987) Annual Report on Labour Economics (in Japanese). Nippon Roudou Kyoukai, Tokyo.Google Scholar
Kanamori, H. & Kousai, Y. (1989) Nippon Keizai Tokuhon (in Japanese), Introduction to Economic Trends in Japan, pp. 141–166. Toyo Keizai Shinpo Shya, Tokyo.Google Scholar
Kreitman, N. & Platt, S. (1984) Suicide, unemployment, and domestic gas detoxification in Britain. J. Epidemiol. commun. Hlth, 38, 1.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kurosaka, Y. (1988) Macro-economic and Labour Market in Japan: Analysis from Supply-side Economics (in Japanese). Toyo Keizai Shinpo Shya, Tokyo.Google Scholar
Platt, S. (1984) Unemployment and suicidal behaviour: a review of the literature. Social Sci. Med. 19, 93.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Platt, S. & Kreitman, N. (1984) Trends in parasuicide and unemployment among men in Edinburgh, 1968–82. Br. med. J. 289, 1029.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Stack, S. (1981) Divorce and suicide: a time series analysis, 1933–1970. J. fam. Issues 2, 77.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ueda, F. (1988) Epidemiology of Suicide in Japan (in Japanese), pp. 20–51. Kanehara Shuppan, Tokyo.Google Scholar
Vigderhous, G. & Fishman, G. (1978) The impact of unemployment and familial integration on changing suicide rates in the U.S.A., 1920–1969. Social Psychiat. 13, 239.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wasserman, I. M. (1984) The influence of economic business cycles on United States suicide rates. Suicide Life-Threat. Behav. 14, 143.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed