Using monthly data for January 2006 - December 2015, this study explores the relationship between suicide and the South African business cycle. Contrary to most previous research, the findings reveal that suicide is pro-cyclical

Botha, Ferdi

Pitot, A

South East Academic Libraries System (SEALS)

J.STUD.ECON.ECONOMETRICS, 2019, 43(2) 1 SUICIDE AND THE SOUTH AFRICAN BUSINESS CYCLE F. Botha1, 2* & A. Pitot3*Abstract sing monthly data for January 2006 - December 2015, this studyexplores the relationship between suicide and the South Africanbusiness cycle. Contrary to most previous research, the findings reveal that suicide is pro-cyclical. 1 Introduction Most studies on the relationship between suicide and the business cycle find that suicide is counter-cyclical (Viren, 1996, 2005; Koo & Cox, 2008; Altinanahtar & Halicioglu, 2009; Andrés & Halicioglu, 2010; Luo et al., 2011), often explained by lower satisfaction levels and greater psychological- and financial stress during downturns (Ruhm, 2000). In contrast, some studies find suicide is pro-cyclical, as during upswings, leisure time declines due to longer working hours (Neumayer, 2004), social interactions weaken (Noh, 2010), and higher income results in individuals being unhappy when comparing themselves to their peers (Daly & Wilson, 2009). Suicide has major public health and economic consequences (Luo et al., 2011) and annually about 75% of suicides occur in low- and middle-income countries (WHO, 2014). This study considers how suicide rates respond to changes in the business cycle of South Africa, a developing country where suicide is a leading cause of non-natural death (Botha, 2012). Botha (2012) used micro-level data and found that the probability of suicide in South Africa was counter-cyclical, but this relationship was not significant. Phiri and Mukuku (2019) considered the relationship between the South African business cycle and suicide but used annual data from 1996-2015 and *1 Melbourne Institute: Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia 2 ARC Centre of Excellence for Children and Families over the Life CourseEmail: ferdi.botha@unimelb.edu.au3 Department of Economics and Economic History, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South AfricaU FOR ACCESS TO THE FULL TEXT, VISIT PUBLISHER'S SITE

Suicide and the South African business cycle

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Suicide and the South African business cycle

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