The Influence of Meteorological Parameters on Intentional Self-Harm Emergency Admissions

Abstract

The confounding influence of meteorological parameters on human health and behavior has been widely observed from ancient history onwards. Intentional selfharm emergency admissions are critical issues among the general population and are classified among the leading causes of death and injuries worldwide. Approximately 3 million individuals die by suicide each year (Nock et al. 2008).The aim of this research was to test the hypothesis of a positive association between meteorological parameters and self-harm incidents. It was tested in the Krapinsko-zagorska county, Republic of Croatia, that includes about 130,000 inhibitans. This study is based on retrospective evaluation of intentional self-harm admissions to Emergency Medical Departments in Krapina-Zagorje County, Croatia, registered in one year (between April 2012 and March 2013).This study differentiates days with no emergency admissions and days with at least 1 emergency admission using a categorical binary outcome. The binary outcome was compared with the meteorological conditions on that specific day and meteorological conditions on the preceding day. The meteorological parameters were considered as possible predictors and were based on data collected by the Meteorological and Hydrological Service of Croatia. The parameters included temperature measured at 7 AM (°C), temperature measured at 2 PM (33°C), maximum, daily temperature (°C), minimum daily temperature (°C), temperature amplitude (°C), humidity measured at 7 AM (%), humidity measured at 2 PM (%), pressure measured at 7 AM (hPa), pressure measured at 2 PM (hPa), cloud cover at 7 AM and cloud cover at 2 PM (decas), mean wind speed (m/s) and season (categorical variables).Most of the emergency admissions occurred during winter (33.33%) and spring (30.16%), while lower emergency admission frequencies were recorded during summer (19.05%) and fall (17.46%). Air pressure at 2 PM is significantly negatively related to emergency admission odds. An increase of 10 hPa in air pressure at 2 PM was accompanied by a 78.17% decrease in emergency admission odds and this decrease could be as little as 0.3% or high as 95.2% with a 95% confidence interval (while keeping all other variables in the model constant). Mean daily wind speed is significantly related to emergency admission odds. The relationship is nonlinear in logit, thus the effect must be described at each level. The emergency admission odds are positively related to mean wind speed for mean daily wind speed up to 2.539 m/s. At wind speed of 1 m/s, an increase in 1 m/s in wind speed was accompanied by 63.35% increase in emergency admission odds and this increase could be as little as 3.92% or high as 156.78% with a 95% confidence interval (while keeping all other variables in the model constant). The emergency admission odds are negatively related to mean wind speed for mean daily wind speed higher than 2.539 m/s. Moreover, at wind speed 5 m/s, an increase in 1 m/s in wind speed was accompanied by 99.63% decrease in emergency admission odds and this decre...

Impact of Meteorological Factors on Suicide Attempts and Completed Suicides in Croatia, Osijek - Baranja County

“…Schory et al 2018 presented a positive connection of all forms of violent behavior along with the more frequent admittance in psychic hospital wards during the low atmospheric pressure in the USA, while Ruuhela et al 2009, during the investigation conducted in Finland, found that the air pressure has an effect on a suicidal behavior, especially suicide attempts with more violent methods, but within male population this impact is apparent during the lower air pressure (<1005 hPa), while females were more sensitive on higher pressure (>1020 hPa). Falak et al 2019. presented that increase of 10 hPa in air pressure from 7.00 am to 2.00 pm was accompanied by a 78.17% decrease in emergency admission odds and this decrease could be as little 0.3% or high 95.2% confidence interval.…”