Suicide as globalisation's Black Swan: global evidence

Area of Science:

• Sociology
• Global Health
• Economics

Background:

• Globalisation's complex effects on societal well-being require investigation.
• Understanding the link between globalisation and suicide rates is crucial for public health policy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between globalisation and suicide rates.
• To determine if economic, political, and social globalisation have beneficial or harmful effects on suicide rates.
• To analyze how this relationship varies across high-, middle-, and low-income countries.

Main Methods:

• Utilized panel data from 190 countries spanning 1990-2019.
• Employed robust fixed-effects models, validated by dynamic and country-specific time-trend models.
• Examined the KOF Globalisation Index and its economic, political, and social dimensions.

Main Results:

• An inverted U-shaped relationship was observed between overall globalisation and suicide rates in high- and middle-income countries.
• Low-income countries exhibited a U-shaped relationship, with political globalisation's effect diminishing.
• The KOF Globalisation Index initially increased suicide rates before decreasing them.

Conclusions:

• Policymakers must address globalisation's disruptive forces, particularly social inequality, to protect vulnerable populations.
• Tailored interventions are needed for different income-level countries based on their specific globalisation-suicide rate dynamics.
• Integrating local and global factors is essential for developing effective suicide reduction strategies.