Burke, Marshall and González, Felipe and Baylis, Patrick and Heft-Neal, Sam and Baysan, Ceren and Basu, Sanjay and Hsiang, Solomon (2018) Higher temperatures increase suicide rates in the United States and Mexico. Nature Climate Change, 8 (8). pp. 723-729. DOI https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-018-0222-x
Burke, Marshall and González, Felipe and Baylis, Patrick and Heft-Neal, Sam and Baysan, Ceren and Basu, Sanjay and Hsiang, Solomon (2018) Higher temperatures increase suicide rates in the United States and Mexico. Nature Climate Change, 8 (8). pp. 723-729. DOI https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-018-0222-x
Burke, Marshall and González, Felipe and Baylis, Patrick and Heft-Neal, Sam and Baysan, Ceren and Basu, Sanjay and Hsiang, Solomon (2018) Higher temperatures increase suicide rates in the United States and Mexico. Nature Climate Change, 8 (8). pp. 723-729. DOI https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-018-0222-x
Abstract
Linkages between climate and mental health are often theorized but remain poorly quantified. In particular, it is unknown whether the rate of suicide, a leading cause of death globally, is systematically affected by climatic conditions. Using comprehensive data from multiple decades for both the United States and Mexico, we find that suicide rates rise 0.7% in US counties and 2.1% in Mexican municipalities for a 1 °C increase in monthly average temperature. This effect is similar in hotter versus cooler regions and has not diminished over time, indicating limited historical adaptation. Analysis of depressive language in >600 million social media updates further suggests that mental well-being deteriorates during warmer periods. We project that unmitigated climate change (RCP8.5) could result in a combined 9–40 thousand additional suicides (95% confidence interval) across the United States and Mexico by 2050, representing a change in suicide rates comparable to the estimated impact of economic recessions, suicide prevention programmes or gun restriction laws.
Item Type: | Article |
---|---|
Divisions: | Faculty of Social Sciences Faculty of Social Sciences > Economics, Department of |
SWORD Depositor: | Unnamed user with email elements@essex.ac.uk |
Depositing User: | Unnamed user with email elements@essex.ac.uk |
Date Deposited: | 19 Sep 2019 08:51 |
Last Modified: | 16 May 2024 19:45 |
URI: | http://repository.essex.ac.uk/id/eprint/25387 |
Available files
Filename: suicides-ncc-accepted.pdf