TY - JOUR
T1 - Meteorological Variables and Suicidal Behavior
T2 - Air Pollution and Apparent Temperature Are Associated With High-Lethality Suicide Attempts and Male Gender
AU - Aguglia, Andrea
AU - Giacomini, Gabriele
AU - Montagna, Elisa
AU - Amerio, Andrea
AU - Escelsior, Andrea
AU - Capello, Marco
AU - Cutroneo, Laura
AU - Ferretti, Gabriele
AU - Scafidi, Davide
AU - Costanza, Alessandra
AU - Serafini, Gianluca
AU - Amore, Mario
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was developed within the framework of the DINOGMI Department of Excellence of MIUR 2018-2022 (Law 232/2016). We thank the Ligurian Environmental Protection Agency for providing air pollution, solar radiation and atmospheric pressure data.
Publisher Copyright:
© Copyright © 2021 Aguglia, Giacomini, Montagna, Amerio, Escelsior, Capello, Cutroneo, Ferretti, Scafidi, Costanza, Serafini and Amore.
Copyright:
Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2021/3/5
Y1 - 2021/3/5
N2 - This study analyzed the impact of meteorological variables and high-lethality suicide attempts (HLSA) to assess a potential time shift of HLSA affected by climate evolution to predict the suicide attempt cases over different periods of the year. After attempting suicide, 225 subjects were admitted to the emergency ward of the IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino and later to the psychiatric unit from March 2016 to July 2018. Socio-demographic and clinical characteristics as well as the meteorological variables were collected. The Mann-Kendall test as well as redundancy and cross-correlation analyses were performed to analyze the trends, statistically correlations, and correspondence of the trends, respectively between suicidal behaviors and climatic factors. Sixty-seven (29.8%) committed a HLSA. Our findings indicate a significant association between HLSA and male gender and apparent temperature with a strong correlation of 75% with a phase shift of −1 month. Solar radiation and air pollution (PM2.5) have a positive correlation of 65 and 32%, respectively, with a zero-time lag. Limitations include that the data are limited to a single hospital; psychological factors, or other clinical variables that could be ruled out as a trigger have not been considered. Meteorological variables may not mirror the temperature that the patient is exposed to due to the air conditioning systems. Exploring those environmental factors associated with HLSA in a more detailed manner could lead to early intervention and prevention strategies for such distressing admissions.
AB - This study analyzed the impact of meteorological variables and high-lethality suicide attempts (HLSA) to assess a potential time shift of HLSA affected by climate evolution to predict the suicide attempt cases over different periods of the year. After attempting suicide, 225 subjects were admitted to the emergency ward of the IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino and later to the psychiatric unit from March 2016 to July 2018. Socio-demographic and clinical characteristics as well as the meteorological variables were collected. The Mann-Kendall test as well as redundancy and cross-correlation analyses were performed to analyze the trends, statistically correlations, and correspondence of the trends, respectively between suicidal behaviors and climatic factors. Sixty-seven (29.8%) committed a HLSA. Our findings indicate a significant association between HLSA and male gender and apparent temperature with a strong correlation of 75% with a phase shift of −1 month. Solar radiation and air pollution (PM2.5) have a positive correlation of 65 and 32%, respectively, with a zero-time lag. Limitations include that the data are limited to a single hospital; psychological factors, or other clinical variables that could be ruled out as a trigger have not been considered. Meteorological variables may not mirror the temperature that the patient is exposed to due to the air conditioning systems. Exploring those environmental factors associated with HLSA in a more detailed manner could lead to early intervention and prevention strategies for such distressing admissions.
KW - air pollution
KW - apparent temperature
KW - environmental parameters
KW - hospitalization
KW - suicidal behavior
KW - suicide
KW - suicide attempt
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U2 - 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.653390
DO - 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.653390
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85102938508
VL - 12
JO - Frontiers in Psychiatry
JF - Frontiers in Psychiatry
SN - 1664-0640
M1 - 653390
ER -