Abstract
BackgroundPreventing suicide is a global imperative. Although the effects of social and individual risk factors of suicide have been widely investigated, evidence of environmental effects of exposure to air pollution is scarce. We investigated the effects of ambient air pollution on suicide mortality in Guangzhou, China during 2003−2012.MethodsA conditional logistic regression analysis with a time-stratified case-crossover design was performed to assess the effects of daily exposure to three standard air pollutants, including particulate matter less than 10 μm in aerodynamic diameter (PM10), sulphur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2), on suicide mortality, after adjusting for the confounding effects of daily mean temperature, relative humidity, atmospheric pressure and sunshine duration. Further analyses were stratified by season, gender, age group, educational attainment and suicide type.ResultsBetween 2003 and 2012, there were a total of 1 550 registered suicide deaths in Guangzhou. A significant increase in suicide risk were associated with interquartile-range increases in the concentration of air pollutant, with an odds ratio of 1.13 (95 % confidence interval (CI): 1.01, 1.27) and 1.15 (95 % CI: 1.03, 1.28) for PM10 and NO2 at lag 02, and 1.12 (95 % CI: 1.02, 1.23) for SO2 at lag 01, respectively. The suicide risks related to air pollution for males and people with high education level were higher than for females and those with low education level, respectively. Significant air pollution effects were found on violent suicide mortality and in cool season but not on non-violent suicide mortality or in warm season.ConclusionsSuicide risk was positively associated with ambient air pollution levels. This finding would provide important information for the health impact assessment of air pollution and for the development of effective strategies and interventions for the prevention of suicide.
Highlights
IntroductionThe effects of social and individual risk factors of suicide have been widely investigated, evidence of environmental effects of exposure to air pollution is scarce
This study aimed to assess the effects of ambient particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of 10 μm or less (PM10), sulphur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) on suicide mortality and determine the potential effect modification by individual characteristics during the period of 2003–2012 in Guangzhou, China
Suicide accounted for 0.64 % of all registered deaths and 16.75 % of accidental deaths, respectively. 880 suicide deaths (56.8 %) were males with a 1.26:1 male-female ratio of suicide rate. 1 058 of suicide deaths (68.3 %) occurred among persons aged less than 65 years and 65.9 % were from those with high educational attainment
Summary
The effects of social and individual risk factors of suicide have been widely investigated, evidence of environmental effects of exposure to air pollution is scarce. Suicide was the second leading cause of death among those aged 15−29 years old globally and it was the 15th leading causes in the general population in 2012 [1]. Because of the considerable premature deaths caused by suicide and the economic and psychological burden of suicide on family and the community, preventing suicide is a global imperative. Suicide is multifactorially caused, such as individual’s physical and psychological factors, social, cultural and environmental factors. Many individual risk factors have been identified and documented well, including some physical illnesses and mental disorders, economic difficulties, social isolation, disaster
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