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Short-term effects of the 2008 Great Recession on the health of the Italian population: an ecological study

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Abstract

Purpose

To report on the effects on health that the 2008 Great Recession is producing in Italy, by comparing the consistency of Italian data with general observations reported in the scientific literature, and by pointing out consequences on the rates of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, male suicidal behaviours, daytime alcohol drinking and traffic fatalities.

Methods

This is an ecological study in which MEDLINE, PsycINFO and PubMed were searched for the literature with combinations of the following keywords: economic recession, financial crisis, unemployment, health, suicide and mental health. Data from two Italian government agencies (Italian Institute of Statistics, ISTAT, and Italian Agency of Drugs, AIFA) in the years from 2000 to 2010 were obtained and analysed, by producing models of multiple linear regressions.

Results

After the recession onset, all-cause mortality remained stable, and was not associated with the economic fluctuations. Differently, cardiovascular mortality was associated with the rate of unemployment, and showed a significant increase in 2010. Alcohol consumption increased in 2009, the year with the worst real GDP decrease (−5.1 %). Though the total rate of suicide was not associated with the economic situation, male completed and attempted suicides due to financial crisis were significantly associated with the rate of unemployment and the real GDP. The increasing diffusion of antidepressants was not associated with a lowering of the rate of suicide.

Conclusions

The data on the Italian situation here discussed are sufficiently reliable to conclude that a link exists between the ongoing economic recession and health and mental health of Italians. Further research is needed to understand more in detail and with stronger reliability such link, to support primary and secondary preventive interventions and orient the development of effective sociopolitical interventions.

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Conflict of interest

The authors report no competing interests.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Section of Psychiatry, Department of Clinical-Diagnostic Medicine and Public Health, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy

    Giorgio Mattei, Silvia Ferrari & Marco Rigatelli

  2. Human Resources, AUSL Reggio Emilia, Reggio Emilia, Italy

    Luca **ani

  3. International PhD School in Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy

    Luca **ani

  4. Mental Health Department, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy

    Giorgio Mattei, Silvia Ferrari, Luca **ani & Marco Rigatelli

Authors
  1. Giorgio Mattei
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  2. Silvia Ferrari
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  3. Luca **ani
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  4. Marco Rigatelli
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Correspondence to Giorgio Mattei.

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Mattei, G., Ferrari, S., **ani, L. et al. Short-term effects of the 2008 Great Recession on the health of the Italian population: an ecological study. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 49, 851–858 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-014-0818-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-014-0818-z

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