Determinants of suicide in OECD countries

In addition to the sociological, economic, and demographic determinants, this study aims to examine the impact of informal employment on suicide rates through the rate of wage and salaried workers, which distinguishes it from existing literature. The study is estimated using the Fixed Effects Estimator (with Driscoll Kraay robust standard errors) with 2007-2020 annual data for 30 OECD countries. Results indicate that increase in GDP per capita, inflation, wage and salaried worker, and female labor participation rate contribute to the decrease in suicide rates. No significant relationship has been found between unemployment and suicide; however, unemployment benefits are effective in preventing suicide. Besides, a positive relationship has been observed between the increase in the level of education and suicide rates. Marital status were found to be unrelated, but parenthood was determined to have a diminishing effect on suicide. Alcohol addiction and densely populated urban areas trigger suicide has been reached.