Relative Status and Well-Being: Evidence from U.S. Suicide Deaths

Authors

Norman J. Johnson

2012-16 | September 1, 2012

We assess the importance of interpersonal income comparisons using data on suicide deaths. We examine whether suicide risk is related to others’ income, holding own income and other individual and environmental factors fixed. We estimate models of the suicide hazard using two independent data sets: (1) the National Longitudinal Mortality Study and (2) the National Center for Health Statistics’ Multiple Cause of Death Files combined with the 5 percent Public Use Micro Sample of the 1990 decennial census. Results from both data sources show that, controlling for own income and individual characteristics, individual suicide risk rises with others’ income.

Article Citation

Wilson, Daniel J., Mary C. Daly, and Norman J. Johnson. 2012. “Relative Status and Well-Being: Evidence from U.S. Suicide Deaths,” Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco Working Paper 2012-16. Available at https://doi.org/10.24148/wp2012-16

About the Authors
Mary C. Daly
Mary C. Daly is president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. Learn more about Mary C. Daly
Daniel Wilson
Daniel Wilson is a vice president in the Economic Research Department of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. Learn more about Daniel Wilson