Zuo Xuanzi
Osaka School of International Public Policy, The University of Osaka, 1-31, Machikaneyama-cho, Toyonaka, Osaka, 560-0043, Japan.
SSM Popul Health. 2025 Aug 19;31:101852. doi: 10.1016/j.ssmph.2025.101852. eCollection 2025 Sep.
Japan experienced a substantial decrease in suicide rates in the 2010s. During this period, the "Supporting the Self-Reliance of Persons in Need" program was initiated to target individuals struggling to meet basic needs. The program provides personalized consultations and subprograms that address the residence issues, necessities, employment needs, and household finance management problems. This study evaluates whether this program is related to the decline in Japan's suicide rates in the 2010s.
The first analysis employs a difference-in-differences approach, using the monthly suicide rates in 815 cities across Japan from 2009 to 2015. Policy exposure refers to the period after pilot programs were introduced in cities between 2013 and 2015. The second analysis examines whether the number of subprograms application counts is associated with the suicide rates by fiscal year.
The introduction of self-reliance support in cities is related to a monthly reduction of 0.066 and 0.041 in suicide rates among men and women, respectively. The associations are found among the population under 60 years, particularly strong for males and the middle-aged. The second analysis suggests that the employment training program shows the strongest association with lower suicide rates. An additional employment training application per 100,000 population is associated with a 0.256 reduction for males and 0.169 for females in the annual suicide rates.
The introduction of self-reliance support is associated with reduced suicide rates, mainly among males and the middle-aged. The employment training subprogram demonstrates the strongest association with lower suicide rates.
日本在21世纪10年代自杀率大幅下降。在此期间，启动了“支持有需要者自力更生”计划，以帮助那些难以满足基本需求的个人。该计划提供个性化咨询和子计划，以解决居住问题、生活必需品、就业需求和家庭财务管理问题。本研究评估该计划是否与日本21世纪10年代自杀率的下降有关。
第一项分析采用差分法，使用2009年至2015年日本815个城市的月度自杀率。政策暴露期指2013年至2015年各城市引入试点计划后的时期。第二项分析按财政年度研究子计划申请数量与自杀率之间是否存在关联。
在城市引入自力更生支持与男性和女性自杀率每月分别降低0.066和0.041有关。这种关联在60岁以下人群中存在，在男性和中年人中尤为明显。第二项分析表明，就业培训计划与较低的自杀率关联最强。每10万人口中就业培训申请增加一项，男性和女性的年自杀率分别降低0.256和0.169。
引入自力更生支持与自杀率降低有关，主要是在男性和中年人中。就业培训子计划与较低自杀率的关联最为显著。
