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Seasonal variation in suicides: diminished or vanished. Experience from England and Wales, 1982-1996
1Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong.
Background:
Seasonal variation in suicidal death has been observed in many countries. In particular, a cyclic variation was found for both men and women in England and Wales in the 1960s and 1970s. Men showed a single 12-month cycle whereas women showed two cycles.
Aims:
To re-examine the seasonal variation in suicides in England and Wales for the period 1982-1996.
Method:
A harmonic analysis was used to detect the seasonality of the suicide data.
Results:
The seasonal effect on suicide is greatly diminished in England and Wales. This is shown by the reduced amplitude and smaller proportion of variance accounted for by the season.
Conclusions:
The seasonal effect on suicide has either diminished or vanished.