Risk of suicide in households threatened with eviction: the role of banks and social support.

BACKGROUND: One of the greatest effects of the financial crisis in Spain has been the enormous increase in the number of evictions. Several studies have shown the association of evictions with different aspects of the physical and mental health. Furthermore, evictions have been associated with an increased risk of suicide. Our objective was to evaluate the risk of suicide among victims of eviction and investigate whether it is associated with specific characteristics of households and interviewees, the eviction process and social support, and health needs. METHODS: A total of 205 participants from households threatened with eviction in Granada, Spain, and 673 being the total number of members of these households, were interviewed in one-on-one sessions between April 2013 and May 2014. Through a questionnaire, information was obtained on physical and mental health, characteristics of their eviction process and support networks, and the use of health services. RESULTS: Almost half of the sample (46.7%) were at low (11.8%), moderate (16.9%), or high suicide risk (17.9%). Household and interviewee features had a limited association with suicide risk. On the contrary, the risk of suicide is greater with a longer exposure to the eviction process. In addition, threatening phone calls from banks increased significantly the risk of suicide, especially among men. Suicide risk was also associated with low social support, especially among women. Interviewees at risk of suicide received more help from nongovernmental organizations than those who were not at risk. In interviewees at risk, the main unmet needs were emotional and psychological help, especially in men. A high percentage of those at risk of suicide declare having large unmeet health needs. Finally, there was a tendency among the evicted at risk of suicide to visit emergency room and primary care more often than those not at risk, especially among women. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the first study showing that when banks adopt a threatening attitude, suicide risk increases among the evicted. As hypothesized, when the evicted felt socially supported, suicide risk decreased. Emotional help was the main mediator of suicide risk and the main unmet need, especially among men.

Associations between Home Foreclosure and Health Outcomes in a Spanish City.

The financial crisis has caused an exponential increase of home foreclosures in Spain. Recent studies have shown the effects that foreclosures have on mental and physical health. This study explores these effects on a sample of adults in the city of Granada (Spain), in terms of socio-demographic, socio-economic and process characteristics. A cross-sectional survey was administered to obtain information on self-perceived changes in several indicators of physical and mental health, consumption of medications, health-related behaviors and use of health services. A total of 205 persons, going through a foreclosure process, participated in the study. 85.7% of the sample reported an increase of episodes of anxiety, depression, and stress; 82.6% sleep disturbances; 42.8% worsening of previous chronic conditions, and 40.8% an increase in consumption of medication. Women, married persons and persons already in the legal stage of the foreclosure process reported higher probability of worsening health according to several indicators, in comparison with men, not married, and individuals in the initial stages of the foreclosure process. The results of this study reveal a general deterioration of health associated with the foreclosure process. These results may help to identify factors to prevent poor health among populations going through a foreclosure process.

[The health of adults undergoing an eviction process]. / La salud de las personas adultas afectadas por un proceso de desahucio.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze perceived health status and other health-related indicators in the adult population in Granada (Spain) undergoing an eviction process from their homes, whether rented or owned, in comparison with health indicators in the general adult population in Andalusia. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was administered by trained staff. The survey included instruments from the Andalusian Health Survey 2011 for measuring variables related to physical and mental health, as well as health-related habits. We compared the results with those obtained from the Andalusian general population through the Andalusian Health Survey. A bivariate analysis using the χ2 test and a multivariate logistic regression analysis were conducted. RESULTS: We obtained a total sample of 205 people in the process of eviction. A total of 59.5% (n=122) were women, and 40.5% (n=83) were men. Participants were more likely to have poor health (odds ratio [OR]: 12.63, 95% confidence interval [95%CI]: 8.74-18.27), have cardiovascular diseases (OR: 3.08; 95%CI: 1.54- 6.16), or to smoke (OR: 1.68; 95% CI: 1.21-2.33) compared with the Andalusian general population. Most of the health indicators analyzed showed a worse outcome for women undergoing an eviction process. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that, in the current context of economic crisis, people undergoing a process of eviction in Granada and its metropolitan area show poorer health than the Andalusian general population. Further research is needed on health and evictions from different methodological approaches, for a better understanding of the topic.