Minimal wage laws may cut back suicide in Asia, examine finds

Suicide is a number one explanation for loss of life worldwide, significantly amongst younger individuals. Threat elements for suicide embody a variety of parts together with structural points that trigger disparities in revenue.

Analysis exhibits that rising social welfare expenditure, for instance through a compulsory minimal wage, decreased suicide charges in the US. Nevertheless, it’s not recognized to what extent such a coverage is related globally.

To research, CUNY SPH Professor Mary Education and colleagues on the College of Hong Kong led a examine revealed in Social Science and Medication assessing the impact of the introduction of a minimal wage in Hong Kong on suicide charges. Particularly, they in contrast suicide charges earlier than and after the minimal wage was launched, permitting for present tendencies, financial modifications and inhabitants construction.

The examine discovered {that a} minimal wage laws decreased suicide charges by 13% in Hong Kong. 600 thirty-three suicides have been prevented for the interval from Might 2011 to December 2016, the bulk in older working aged males. These outcomes present new proof that, just like findings in Western settings, minimal wages could assist to cut back suicide in Asia, significantly for working age males.

“This examine exhibits the significance of structural elements, equivalent to social welfare insurance policies, to suicide prevention in a worldwide context,” says Dr. Education.