Suicide remains a critical public health concern globally, with multifaceted determinants, including socio-economic, cultural, and environmental factors. Understanding the nuanced interplay between socio-economic development and suicidal behaviors is essential for formulating targeted interventions and policies aimed at reducing suicide rates.
This study investigates the association between United Nations (UN) indicators, including the Human Development Index (HDI), and suicide rates across various countries and over time. Due to their stability over time, we hypothesize that HDI, and other UN indicators, are weak predictors of the short-term fluctuations of suicide rates. Additionally, we hypothesize that changes in underlying variables used to compute such indexes offer better predictive value to changes in suicide.
Utilizing data from 183 countries from 2000 to 2019, this research employs multilevel modeling of time-series data, incorporating random effects to account for within-country variations. During the conferences we will present the results of the models examining the relationship between suicide rates, UN indicators (e.g. Human Development Index, HDI, Gender Development Index, GDI and Gender Inequality Index, GII) and underlying variables, and time. The results will be presented stratified by sex.
By presenting the findings we hope to emphasize the need for continued research to identify additional determinants of suicide risk and inform targeted interventions aimed at reducing the global burden of suicide. This calls for a holistic approach that integrates cross-national data into suicide prevention strategies, thereby fostering cross-cultural understanding and facilitating the exchange of best practices to promote mental health and well-being worldwide.