title: Employment loss during economic crisis and suicidal thoughts in Belgium: a survey in general practice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The economic crisis of 2009 led to a wave of corporate reorganisations and bankruptcies, with many dismissals of employees. GPs were confronted with subsequent health consequences.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the possible relationship between losing one's job and having suicidal thoughts.
  
  
  METHODS
  A survey of patients aged 18-49 years recruited from GP practices in Belgium in Deurne (Flemish region) and La Louvière (Walloon region) from September to December 2010. Method Anonymous self-administered questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of all eligible patients (n = 1818), 831 were offered the questionnaire and 377 completed it (45.4%). More than one in five had been confronted with employment loss in the past year (the responder or someone close losing their job). Almost one in ten had lost their job themselves in the past year. More than one in four had experienced suicidal thoughts and 11.7% had seriously considered ending their life in the past year. In the logistic regression analysis, the following characteristics showed a statistically significant relationship with having suicidal thoughts: being single (odds ratio [OR] = 4.8, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.7 to 13.8), not having satisfying social contacts (OR = 5.1, 95% CI = 1.6 to 16.2), having depressive complaints (OR = 18.4, 95% CI = 5.8 to 58.4), and having lost one's employment in the past year (OR = 8.8, 95% CI = 2.0 to 39.3).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study points to a statistically significant relationship between losing one's employment in the past year and having suicidal thoughts. It emphasises the important role of the GP in the continuous and reinforced assessment of suicidal risk in times of recession.
authors.affiliation: Medics For The People, Belgium.
authors.forename: Filip
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vanderoost
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: van der Wielen
authors.forename: Karolien
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: van Nunen
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Van Hal
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001530:Belgium; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D057172:Economic Recession; D004651:Employment / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D058006:General Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D055815:Young Adult