Temporal Variation in Irish Suicide Rates
Abstract
Using Irish suicide data for the period 1990–1998, the independent effects of month and day adjusting for age, gender, and calendar year effects and distinguishing between holiday and working Mondays were assessed. The male suicide rate was significantly higher on working Mondays (+31%) and Saturdays (+14%), and during April, June, and August (+17%), after adjustment for the other variables. In contrast, female suicide rates were higher only in August (+35%) and exhibited no day effect. Teenage men had a greater elevation of risk on Saturdays, Sundays, and both working and holiday Mondays than any other group. The study findings should be taken into account in the planning of specialized health care services and helplines for suicidal people. Furthermore, the findings provide support for Gabennesch's (1988) broken promise theory and the relationship between dysfunctions of the serotonergic system and suicidal behavior.
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Studies from the US reflect the pattern of lower suicide rates in November and December than in typically warmer months.
“Studies from the US reflect this pattern, with lower rates in November and December than in typically warmer months.6”
From Festive medical myths (2008) · cites this paper as [6]
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- Authors
- Corcoran, P., Reilly, M., Salim, A., Brennan, A., Keeley, H. S., & Perry, I. J.
- Affiliations
- National Suicide Research Foundation (IE)
- University College Cork (IE)
- Corresponding author
- Perry, Ivan J.
- Venue
- Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2004-12
- Volume
- 34
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 429-438
- ISSN
- 0363-0234 (ISSN-L)
- 1943-278X
- OpenAlex
- W2133985279
- Cited by
- 38
- References
- 40
- Citations by year
- 2024: 3 · 2023: 2 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 1 · 2012: 2
- FWCI
- 0.40
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Suicide and Self-Harm Studies
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Homicide, Infanticide, and Child Abuse
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Injury Epidemiology and Prevention
- Keywords
- suicide rates, temporal variation, seasonal variation, day-of-the-week effect, gender differences, adolescent boys, serotonergic dysfunction
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Child, Female, Humans, Ireland, Male, Middle Aged, Seasons, Suicide, Incidence, Age Distribution, Sex Distribution
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