@article{ref1,
title="State earned income tax credits and suicidal behavior: a repeated cross-sectional study",
journal="Preventive medicine",
year="2020",
author="Morgan, Erin R. and Rowhani-Rahbar, Ali and Rivara, Frederick P. and Decou, Christopher R. and Mooney, Stephen J. and Hill, Heather D.",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="Suicide is an increasingly common cause of death in the United States and recent increases in suicide rates disproportionately impact low income individuals. We  sought to assess the impact of income support in the form of state earned income tax  credit policies on suicide-related behaviors. This state-level study used repeated  cross-sectional data from vital records and the National Survey of Drug Use and  Health data representative at the state-level. The population included adults who  either died by suicide or were selected for in-person NSDUH interviews between 2008  and 2018. Exposure was measured as the generosity of a refundable state earned  income tax credit policy measured as a percentage of the federal policy. Outcomes  assessed were suicidal ideation, suicidal planning, non-fatal suicide attempt,  suicide deaths, and combined fatal and non-fatal suicide attempts. Analyses were  performed between April and June 2020. A 10 percentage-point increase in the  generosity of state earned income tax credit was associated with lower frequency of  non-fatal suicide attempts (prevalence ratio [PR] = 0.96; 95% CI: 0.93-0.99),  combined fatal and non-fatal suicide attempts (PR = 0.96; 95% CI: 0.93-0.99), and  suicide deaths (PR = 0.99; 95% CI: 0.99-1.00). This translates to 4 fewer suicide  attempts per 10,000 population each year. Generous state earned income tax credit  policies are associated with reductions in the frequency of most severe suicidal  behavior. Income support policies may be one way to reduce suicide attempts and  death, especially among low-income adults.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0091-7435",
doi="10.1016/j.ypmed.2020.106403",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ypmed.2020.106403"
}