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Cited by 78Suicide and Self-Harm StudiesHomicide, Infanticide, and Child AbuseEconomic, Social, and Public Health Issues in Russia and Globally

Suicide rates and socioeconomic factors in Eastern European countries after the collapse of the Soviet Union: trends between 1990 and 2008.

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Kõlves, Kairi, Milner, Allison, Värnik, Peeter·2013·Sociology of Health & Illness
DOI 10.1111/1467-9566.12011
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Abstract

After the collapse of the Soviet Union the various Eastern European (EE) countries adapted in different ways to the social, political and economic changes. The present study aims to analyse whether the factors related to social integration and regulation are able to explain the changes in the suicide rate in EE. A separate analysis of suicide rates, together with the undetermined intent mortality (UD), was performed. A cross-sectional time-series design and applied a panel data fixed-effects regression technique was used in analyses. The sample included 13 countries from the former Soviet bloc between 1990 and 2008. Dependent variables were gender-specific age-adjusted suicide rates and suicide plus UD rates. Independent variables included unemployment, GDP, divorce rate, birth rate, the Gini index, female labour force participation, alcohol consumption and general practitioners per 100,000 people. Male suicide and suicide or UD rates had similar predictors, which suggest that changes in suicide were related to socioeconomic disruptions experienced during the transition period. However, male suicide rates in EE were not associated with alcohol consumption during the study period. Even so, there might be underestimation of alcohol consumption due to illegal alcohol and differences between methodologies of calculating alcohol consumption. However, predictors of female suicide were related to economic integration and suicide or UD rates with domestic integration.

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  • Research has largely focused on suicide risk among bereaved relatives, though less is known about how many people are exposed and need support in the broader household or about their overall mortality risk from nonsuicide causes.

    “Research has largely focused on suicide risk among bereaved relatives,2,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25 though less is known about how many people are exposed and need support in the broader household19 or about their overall mortality risk from nonsuicide causes.9,26,27,28”

    From Mortality Risk Following a Household Suicide (2025) · cites this paper as [14]

  • Most evidence comes from high-income countries, where more robust health systems may buffer harms.

    “Most evidence comes from high-income countries,2,9,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,26,27,28 where more robust health systems may buffer harms.”

    From Mortality Risk Following a Household Suicide (2025) · cites this paper as [14]

  • Prior research shows elevated suicide risk among individuals with a family history of suicide.

    “Prior research shows elevated suicide risk among individuals with a family history of suicide,2,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25”

    From Mortality Risk Following a Household Suicide (2025) · cites this paper as [14]

  • These factors are associated with suicide behaviors.

    “These factors are associated with suicide behaviors,2,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25”

    From Mortality Risk Following a Household Suicide (2025) · cites this paper as [14]

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Authors
Kõlves, K., Milner, A., & Värnik, P.
Affiliations
  • Griffith University (AU)
  • The University of Melbourne (AU)
  • Tallinn University (EE)
Corresponding author
Kõlves, Kairi
ORCID
Venue
Sociology of Health & Illness
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2013-02-11
Volume
35
Issue
6
Pages
956-970
ISSN
  • 0141-9889 (ISSN-L)
  • 1467-9566
DOI
10.1111/1467-9566.12011
OpenAlex
W1892952888
Cited by
78
References
69
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 2 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 5
FWCI
7.04
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor (vor)
Locations
  • Sociology of Health & Illness (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Griffith Research Online (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Suicide and Self-Harm Studies
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Homicide, Infanticide, and Child Abuse
  • Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › Management Science and Operations Research › Economic, Social, and Public Health Issues in Russia and Globally
Keywords
suicide rates, socioeconomic factors, post-Soviet transition, Eastern Europe, post-Soviet states, unemployment, Gini coefficient, female labour force participation, alcohol consumption, general practitioners, divorce rates, birth rate, economic integration, social integration, gender differences in suicide
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Alcohol Drinking, Cause of Death, Cross-Sectional Studies, Europe, Eastern, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Mortality, Political Systems, Regression Analysis, Social Change, Socioeconomic Factors, Suicide, USSR, Age Distribution, Sex Distribution, Young Adult

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