Variation in Suicide Mortality by Unemployment Rate from 2000 to 2010, Metropolitan France

The document presents findings from a study that aimed to demonstrate the temporal association between unemployment rates and suicide mortality rates in metropolitan France from 2000 to 2010. The study analyzed suicide mortality data for individuals over 14 years old, with a total of 115,319 deaths during the period, against quarterly departmental unemployment rates published by INSEE. Using Poisson temporal models that accounted for seasonal and geographical variability of suicide rates, as well as age and sex effects, the study found that a 1-point increase in the unemployment rate was associated with a 1.0% increase in the suicide rate in the general population. This association was significant only among men, with a 1.4% increase overall and a 2.2% increase specifically among men aged 25-49. The regions of Alsace, Lorraine, Brittany, and Corsica showed significant associations. The study concluded that there is a significant link between unemployment rates and suicide mortality in France, particularly affecting young men of working age, and highlighted the need for suicide prevention measures in the context of job loss, especially for men aged 25-49.