Resource Tag: TIME OF SUICIDE. BIRTHDAYS

Background: Socioculturally meaningful events have been shown to influence the timing of suicide, but the influence of psychiatric disorder on these associations has seldom been studied. Aims: To investigate the association between birthday and increased risk of suicide in the general population and in a national sample of psychiatric patients. Methods: Data on general population suicides and suicide […]

40 suicide notes from symbolic (i.e., 18, 40, 65, etc.) & nonsymbolic ages were compared based on a multidimensional clinical perspective. No differences were noted. Although caution is encouraged in accepting the null hypothesis, it is speculated that macrosocial phenomena may not be easily translatable into psychological ones. (4 refs)

This paper briefly reports the results of reexamining by sex data from a 1986 report in which Lester reported no birthday-deathday effect in samples of suicide, homicide victims, and natural deaths. These data clearly show no sex differences in the birthday-deathday phenomenon. (2 refs)

Potential biases in other studies of suicide timing were assessed & minimized in this population-based study of suicide in Olmsted County, Minnesota. Using more accurate data, previous reports of no excess suicides on birthdays or during 3 American national holidays were confirmed. Previous findings of excess post-holiday suicides & suicide peaks on Mondays were not […]

There is limited documentation on the significance of birthdays to a psychiatric population. A retrospective chart review on a sample of patient records, a review of records of 51 completed suicides & semi-stuctured interviews with day hospital patients were used to explore the possible relationship between birthdays & psychiatric morbidity. Birthdays may have clinical significance […]

An analysis of 197 natural deaths, 208 suicides, & 331 homicides failed to find an excess of deaths of any of the 3 types around the birthday. Findings fail to replicate studies by B. Barraclough & D. Shephard ; P. Kunz ; & D. Shaffer. 3 refs.

This paper presents evidence that there are fewer deaths than expected before 3 ceremonial occasions: the birthday, Presidential elections, & the Jewish Day of Atonement. The investigation of mortality before the birthday was based on biographical information on 1333 famous persons; offical vital statistics tables were used to study mortality before the other two occasions. […]

M. Alderson has shown an excess of deaths in the birth month & following 3 mo. for persons aged 75+ & suggests birthdays may affect elderly morale, impairing resistance to fatal disease, & that a hypothesis of “birthday stress” should be tested. It might be related to suicide more than to natural death; there is […]

Reviews & presents studies on chronological variations in suicide rates, especially in Nordic countries. In the studies presented, there were fewer suicides in February, & more in May, June or August; the suicide rate was highest at the beginning of each month; & there were usually fewer suicides on Tuesdays & more on Wednesdays. No […]

Researchers found an association between suicide and birthdays in the elderly, which they attributed to birthday blues. Kunz found a significant increase in death following the birthday and a death dip prior to the birthday for all ages. Since a similar pattern is found for deaths in general, programs geared towards suicide prevention may not […]

A review of the effects of weather upon physical functioning precedes a demographic study of suicide in relationship to weather. In general, suicide attempts were more frequent in females; completed suicide was more common in males; suicide attempts were more common in the young; & the birthdays of those completing suicide differed from the norm. […]