Evidence That Latitude is Directly Related to Variation in Suicide Rates

Overview

Journal Can J Psychiatry

Specialty Psychiatry

Date 2002 Sep 6

PMID 12211887

Citations 5

Authors

George E Davis

Walter E Lowell

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objective: To use available suicide-rate data from 20 countries to see patterns and relations more clearly.

Method: We obtained raw suicide rates from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) database from 1960 through 1997 and calculated averages and standard deviations.

Results: There is a positive linear relation between the variation in suicide rate and geographic latitude.

Conclusions: The variation in light-dark cycles is superimposed upon human mood.

Citing Articles

Longitude-based time zone partitions and rates of suicide.

Reis D, Yen P, Tizenberg B, Gottipati A, Postolache S, De Riggs D J Affect Disord. 2023; 339:933-942.

PMID: 37481129 PMC: 10870927. DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.07.080.

Triggering multiple sclerosis at conception and early gestation: The variation in ultraviolet radiation is as important as its intensity.

Davis G, Davis M, Lowell W Heliyon. 2023; 9(6):e16954.

PMID: 37346332 PMC: 10279836. DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e16954.

Variations in seasonal solar insolation are associated with a history of suicide attempts in bipolar I disorder.

Bauer M, Glenn T, Achtyes E, Alda M, Agaoglu E, Altinbas K Int J Bipolar Disord. 2021; 9(1):26.

PMID: 34467430 PMC: 8408297. DOI: 10.1186/s40345-021-00231-7.

GWAS studies reveal a possible genetic link between cancer and suicide attempt.

Voskarides K, Chatzittofis A Sci Rep. 2019; 9(1):18290.

PMID: 31797972 PMC: 6892859. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-54812-9.

Relationship of suicide rates with climate and economic variables in Europe during 2000-2012.

Fountoulakis K, Chatzikosta I, Pastiadis K, Zanis P, Kawohl W, Kerkhof A Ann Gen Psychiatry. 2016; 15:19.

PMID: 27508001 PMC: 4977895. DOI: 10.1186/s12991-016-0106-2.