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Conceptualizations of suicide through time and socio-economic factors: a historical mini-review

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 October 2017

P. Solano ,
E. Pizzorno ,
M. Pompili ,
G. Serafini  and
M. Amore
P. Solano*
Affiliation:
Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), Section of Psychiatry, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy Pav.A, San Martino Hospital, Genoa, Italy
E. Pizzorno
Affiliation:
Legal Medicine and Forensic Pathologist, Private Practice, Via Zamperini 1, Genoa, Italy
M. Pompili
Affiliation:
Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Function, Suicide Prevention Center, Sant’Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
G. Serafini
Affiliation:
Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), Section of Psychiatry, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy Pav.A, San Martino Hospital, Genoa, Italy
M. Amore
Affiliation:
Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), Section of Psychiatry, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy Pav.A, San Martino Hospital, Genoa, Italy
*
*Address for correspondence: P. Solano, M.D., Psychiatrist, Ph.D. Student, Department of Neuroscience, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health (DINOGMI), Section of Psychiatry, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy. (Email: paola.solano@alice)
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Abstract

Objectives

Suicide is a complex phenomenon determined by the interplay of an articulated network of factors including socio-economic factors which have a decisive role. This paper investigates the development of the modern conceptualization of suicide in Europe, its sociological understandings and its intertwinement with economic cycles throughout time.

Methods

MEDLINE, SCHOLAR, EMBASE using the keywords ‘socioeconomic factors AND suicide’; ‘economic cycles AND suicide’; ‘history AND suicide’ without timeframe limitations. Moreover, journal-by-journal search in journals of related areas was performed.

Results

In total, 51 historical studies focusing on the subjects in European countries were included. Three main areas arose: (a) development of the conceptualization of suicide over time; (b) sociological understandings of suicide according to the structure of society and its economy of power; (c) economic theories explaining the intertwinement of economic cycles and suicides.

Conclusions

Suicide is a deeply human phenomenon inescapably linked to and grounded in society and economic cycles. Understandings from the past show the importance of accurate analysis of socio-economic contexts that shape societies together with man’s own sense of self in order to organize multi-layered tangible and intangible support strategies to better understand and prevent suicide in this day and age.

Keywords

Economic cycles and suicidehistory of suicidesocio-economic factors and suicidesociology and suicidesuicide
Type
Review Article
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , Volume 35 , Issue 1 , March 2018 , pp. 75 - 86
Copyright
© College of Psychiatrists of Ireland 2017 

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