Previous studies have found an association between recessions and increased rates of suicide. In the present study we widened the focus to examine the association between economic uncertainty and suicides. We used monthly suicide data from the US at the State level from 2000 to 2017 and combined them with the monthly economic uncertainty index. We followed a panel data econometric approach to study the association between economic uncertainty and suicide, controlling for unemployment and other indicators. Economic uncertainty is positively associated with suicide when controlling for unemployment [coeff: 8.026; 95% CI: 3.692–12.360] or for a wider range of economic and demographic characteristics [coeff: 7.478; 95% CI: 3.333–11.623]. An increase in the uncertainty index by one percent is associated with an additional 11–24.4 additional monthly suicides in the US. Economic uncertainty is likely to act as a trigger, which underlines the impulsive nature of some suicides. This highlights the importance of providing access to suicide prevention interventions (e.g. hotlines) during periods of economic uncertainty.

先前的研究发现经济衰退与自杀率增加之间存在关联。在本研究中，我们扩大了重点，以研究经济不确定性与自杀之间的关联。我们使用了 2000 年至 2017 年美国各州的月度自杀数据，并将其与月度经济不确定性指数相结合。我们采用面板数据计量经济学方法来研究经济不确定性与自杀之间的关联，控制失业和其他指标。在控制失业时，经济不确定性与自杀呈正相关 [coeff: 8.026; 95% CI: 3.692–12.360] 或更广泛的经济和人口特征 [coeff: 7.478; 95% 置信区间：3.333–11.623]。不确定性指数增加 1% 与额外的 11-24 相关。在美国，每月还有 4 起自杀事件。经济的不确定性很可能成为触发因素，这突显了一些自杀的冲动性。这凸显了在经济不确定时期提供自杀预防干预措施（例如热线）的重要性。