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Is four a deadly number for the Chinese?
Nirmal S Panesar1, Noel C Y Chan, Shi N Li
1Department of Chemical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Wales Hospital, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong SAR, China. nspanesar@cuhk.edu.hk
The Medical Journal of Australia
|November 26, 2003
Summary
This study found no increased cardiac deaths in Hong Kong Chinese people on days with "deathly connotations" (4, 14, 24). Cultural beliefs about numbers do not appear to impact mortality rates in this population.
Area of Science:
- Medical research
- Public health
- Cultural studies
Background:
- Certain numbers (4, 14, 24) are associated with death in Cantonese culture.
- Previous US study suggested increased cardiac deaths in Asian populations on the 4th day of the month.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if cardiac deaths are higher in Hong Kong Chinese on days 4, 14, and 24 of the month.
- To examine the influence of cultural number associations on mortality.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of cardiac mortality data (ICD-9 codes 410-414) from 1995-2000 in Hong Kong Chinese.
- Comparison of deaths on the 4th, 14th, and 24th days versus other days.
- Data analyzed using both Gregorian and Lunar calendars.
Main Results:
- No statistically significant difference in cardiac deaths was observed on the 4th, 14th, and 24th days compared to other days.
- Mean daily cardiac deaths were consistent across all days of the month.
Conclusions:
- The study does not support the hypothesis that specific 'deathly' numbered days lead to increased cardiac mortality in Hong Kong Chinese.
- Cultural beliefs regarding numbers do not appear to correlate with increased cardiac deaths on these specific dates.