The relationship between unemployment and parasuicide was examined amongst males and females in the City of Leeds between 1978 and 1982. The association between unemployment and parasuicide was found to be positive and significant in middle aged men. However, there was a negative and significant relationship between unemployment and parasuicide in older men aged between 55 and 59 years. For females between the ages of 20 and 25 years there was a significant negative relation ship between unemployment and parasuicide. The findings which are discussed are considered to provide evidence for the hypothesis that unemployment may exert a differing vulnerability effect on proneness to parasuicide in different age groups and between the two sexes.
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