Explaining suicide (OECD)

The socio-economic determinants of suicide rates might be different across regions of the world. In a recent study by Okada & Samreth published in the JSE (August 2013) the authors find that the divorce rate affects the suicide rate positively and that increases in GDP per capita reduce the suicide rate. 

From the conclusions: 

Our estimation results provide strong evidence that divorce rates and per capita real GDP have significantly increasing and reducing impacts on suicide, respectively, since their effects are confirmed in nine out of 13 selected countries. For fertility rates, the results show that its increase leads to a decrease in suicide rates in four countries and a rise in suicide rates in one country. As for per capita alcohol consumption, we obtain evidence supporting its significantly increasing effects only in three countries.

A draft is here. 

In Italy a higher amount of suicides has been linked to the recent economic recession.