- A new study finds that economic policies can reduce so-called "deaths of despair."
- Raising the minimum wage and the federal Earned Income Tax Credit by 10 percent each could prevent 1,230 suicides per year.
- By contrast, boosting pay and federal aid for lower-income workers doesn't significantly reduce drug-related deaths.
What some experts call "deaths of despair" -- fatalities related to alcohol, drugs and suicide -- have risen in recent years among Americans without a college degree, contributing to a decline in life expectancy in the U.S. Now new research suggests a way to deter people from killing themselves: pay them more.
Increasing the minimum wage by 10 percent reduces suicides among adults with a high school degree or less by 3.6 percent, according to a study published by the National Bureau of Economic Research. A 10 percent hike in the Earned Income Tax Credit -- a federal subsidy for low-income families -- reduces suicides among the same group by 5.5 percent. Increasing both measures by 10 percent would prevent a total of 1,230 suicides per year,
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6 comments:
It'll just shift suicides two small business owners that cannot compete and have to close their doors.
That will reduce suicides among under paid workers
This country gets dumber and dumber every day and idiots believe "research."
When are you idiots going to understand that researchers and consultants are paid to tell you what you want to hear? It's a gimmick, it's FRAUD!
11:53 true true, i hate when companies pay researchers and consultants to tell them that they should employees more
11:53 PM you are 100% correct. I have been watching this city and county pay consultants thousands of dollars to give them a report that fits their agenda. Have you ever seen the city or county disappointed with a consultants report? BINGO!
So what do the experts advise giving to rich people to keep them from killing themselves?
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