Association between Air Pollution and Suicide in South Korea: A Nationwide Study

Youngdon Kim, Woojae Myung, Hong-Hee Won, Sanghong Shim, Hong Jin Jeon, Junbae Choi, Bernard J Carroll and Doh Kwan Kim

PLOS ONE, 2015, vol. 10, issue 2, 1-10

Abstract: Suggestive associations of suicide with air pollutant concentrations have been reported. Recognizing regional and temporal variability of pollutant concentrations and of suicide, we undertook a detailed meta-analysis of completed suicides in relation to 5 major pollutants over 6 years in the 16 administrative regions of the Republic of Korea, while also controlling for other established influences on suicide rates. Of the 5 major pollutants examined, ozone concentrations had a powerful association with suicide rate, extending back to 4 weeks. Over the range of 2 standard deviations (SD) around the annual mean ozone concentration, the adjusted suicide rate increased by an estimated 7.8% of the annual mean rate. Particulate matter pollution also had a significant effect, strongest with a 4-week lag, equivalent to 3.6% of the annual mean rate over the same 2 SD range that approximated the half of annual observed range. These results strongly suggest deleterious effects of ozone and particulate matter pollution on the major public health problem of suicide.

Date: 2015
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:plo:pone00:0117929

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0117929

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