Influence of meteorological conditions on suicide rate in the province of Córdoba

Abstract

IntroductionSuicide mortality has increased in recent decades. There are multiple factors influencing the risk of suicidal behaviour (biological, cognitive and personality-related factors) that could interact with seasonal changes. The aim was to determine how certain meteorological factors (temperature, wind and rainfall) influenced suicides in the province of Córdoba committed over a specific time period. Material and methodsA total of 100 suicides registered in the Institute of Legal Medicine of Forensic Sciences of the province of Córdoba were collected through an observational, analytical and retrospective study. We recorded sociodemographic variables, pathological background, factors related to suicide and meteorological variables according to the website of the State Meteorological Agency. ResultsStatistical significance was obtained regarding sex and its relationship with wind; showing an association of women's suicides with higher wind speed in comparison to men (P = .043). An association was also observed between sex and the seasons of the year (P = .042) concluding that women commit suicide more frequently during the spring (45.8%), while men commit suicide more often the autumn (28.9%). ConclusionsOur study suggests that suicides are influenced by meteorological variables; in particular it offers some new insights in relation to the influence of wind speed and seasonality according to sex.