“The reduction of expenditure in Greece led to an increase in suicides

The spending cuts in Greece led to an increase in suicides in the male sex, according to a research that attempts to highlight the health costs of austerity. In thirty pages with the English title "The Impact of Fiscal Austerity on Suicide: On the Empirics of a Modern Greek Tragedy", researchers Nicholas Antonakakis and Alan Collins of the University of Portsmouth conclude that there is a correlation between spending cuts and suicides in Greece. According to the survey, each 1% drop in government spending in Greece led to an increase of 0.43% of suicides among men. "This is almost one person per day. Given that in 2010 there were about two suicides a day in Greece, it seems that 50% are due to austerity" Antonakakis mentioned, who along with Professor of Economics felt amazed at how many suicides appeared to be associated with austerity and how clear the connection is.

According to research published in the journal Social Science and Medicine, the men aged 45-89 are at higher risk of suicide in response to austerity. The investigation isn't the first claiming that the cuts have cost lives. Last year, the political economist David Stuckler and physician-epidemiologist Sanjay Basu pointed out in their book "The Economics of the Body. Why austerity kills" soaring suicide rates, increase in HIV infections and even a malaria epidemic. In Greece, HIV infection increased by more than 200% since 2011 as budgets preventions were cut and intravenous drug use rose amid within the 50% youth unemployment.

Greece also experienced the first outbreak of malaria in decades after budget cuts for spraying against mosquitoes the authors added. About the study published in Greece a representative of the British charity organization "Samaritan", said: "There is an established relationship between unemployment and suicide, which tends to increase during economic downturns, particularly when they aren't protected by social welfare".