While America is becoming an increasingly affluent country, much of the effects of this prosperity are swept under the rug of the collective American conscience. These inherent issues include global ones such as the alienation of less fortunate countries as well as more localized ones including the increasing separation of the wealthy and the not to wealthy American citizens. Focusing on the American citizen, this rising wealth has burdened an increasing amount of individuals with further stress of the amplifying importance of social status. A commonly overlooked aspect of this wealth is the requisite taxes that are due on that critical day in April.

Throughout the course of human history, man-kind has had plenty of things to keep

While there are many aspects of stress that are worthy of study, it is the final act of taking one’s life that is most pressing. Suicide is often perceived as the court of last resort in which an increasing number people find themselves in. This act is one that affects all parties associated with the disparaged person. The effects of such an act are stout and continue to linger on for many years after the incident. The causes of this phenomenon warrant further study.

An interesting phenomenon concerns the relationship between suicide rates and the quality of life. David Lester has shown that “income inequality is one economic variable that may be related to the quality of life” (Lester, 1986). In order to establish a correlation between income inequality and suicide rates, Lynch, , Kaplan, Pamak, Cohen, Heck, Balfour, and Yen, “examined 282 metropolitan areas and found that area of high income inequality, as measured by gross household income and low average incomes, had higher than expected mortality rates (including excess mortality from suicide)” (Lynch et al., 1998).

In a research design such as this, it is impossible to determine a causal relationship even if a correlational one exists. Furthermore, many outside forces may be at work on our sample. It has already been theorized that the increase in suicidal behavior during the months of March and April are due to the differences in chemical interaction within the human body. This pilot study is chalk full of confounds that limit the study. Additionally, this study is not generalizable due to the fact that the participants are chosen only from the United States of America. This limits the study by the fact that other nation’s income tax seasons occur during other times of the year, and therefore not subject to the same environmental or physical conditions. This again is potential confound.

Some topics in this essay:
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