Elderly suicide and weather conditions: is there a link?

Author:
SALIB Emad
Journal article citation:
International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 12(9), September 1997, pp.937-941.
Publisher:
Wiley

Studies on the effect of meteorological factors on suicide have yielded inconclusive and often contradictory results. This article examines the effect of weather conditions on suicide rate in an elderly population in North Cheshire. Concludes that weather may influence suicide in the elderly, probably interacting with biological and social variables. The rate of reported suicide appears to be positively related to fine weather conditions, during early summer, and not to extreme weather conditions as previously reported. Method of death also appears to be associated with weather conditions.

Subject terms:
older people, suicide, depression, environmental factors;
Link:
Journal home page
ISSN online:
1099-1166
ISSN print:
0885-6230

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