Citation

Toro K, Dunay G, Bartholy J, Pongrácz R, Kis Z, Keller E. J. Forensic Leg. Med. 2009; 16(5): 277-279.

Affiliation

Semmelweis University, Department of Forensic and Insurance Medicine, Ulloi út 93, 1091 Budapest, Hungary. torok@igaz.sote.hu

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jflm.2008.12.015

PMID

19481711

Abstract

Meteorological factors are well known to modulate human health status and the rate of death cases. The suicidal rate might have been influenced by climatic and seasonal triggering factors. In this study 4918 suicidal cases (3099 male, 1819 female) in Budapest were investigated in connection with climatic data, as daily maximum, minimum temperature, and air humidity. The most frequent methods of suicide were intoxication, hanging and jumping. A mild seasonal variation was found, however, the rate of suicidal death was influenced by warm temperatures. Higher frequency of suicidal deaths was detected in warm weather with low relative humidity, which implies dominantly dry anticyclonic meteorological conditions. Our results suggest that the medico-legal investigation may help specific suicide prevention programme regarding to the climate change and meteorological conditions as potential risk factors of suicidal cases.

Language: en