title: Increase in suicides associated with home eviction and foreclosure during the US housing crisis: findings from 16 National Violent Death Reporting System States, 2005-2010.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to determine the frequency, characteristics, and precipitating circumstances of eviction- and foreclosure-related suicides during the US housing crisis, which resulted in historically high foreclosures and increased evictions beginning in 2006.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined all eviction- and foreclosure-related suicides in the years 2005 to 2010 in 16 states in the National Violent Death Reporting System, a surveillance system for all violent deaths within participating states that abstracts information across multiple investigative sources (e.g., law enforcement, coroners, medical examiners).
  
  
  RESULTS
  We identified 929 eviction- or foreclosure-related suicides. Eviction- and foreclosure-related suicides doubled from 2005 to 2010 (n=88 in 2005; n=176 in 2010), mostly because of foreclosure-related suicides, which increased 253% from 2005 (n=30) to 2010 (n=106). Most suicides occurred before the actual housing loss (79%), and 37% of decedents experienced acute eviction or foreclosure crises within 2 weeks of the suicide.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Housing loss is a significant crisis that can precipitate suicide. Prevention strategies include support for those projected to lose homes, intervention before move-out date, training financial professionals to recognize warning signs, and strengthening population-wide suicide prevention measures during economic crises.
authors.affiliation: The authors are with the Division of Violence Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA.
authors.forename: Katherine A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Fowler
authors.forename: R Matthew
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Gladden
authors.forename: Kevin J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Vagi
authors.forename: Jamar
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Barnes
authors.forename: Leroy
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Frazier
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D057172:Economic Recession / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006798:Housing / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012307:Risk Factors; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult