Hotter weather linked to increase in suicide among elderly, study led by University of Hong Kong finds
- Researchers reviewed 8,000 historical cases from between 1976 and 2014 involving residents aged 65 or over
- How someone died could be linked to maximum daily temperature, according to the study
Are Hong Kong’s hotter summers driving more elderly people to suicide?
A comprehensive study of data collected over decades has suggested a link between higher temperatures and the rate at which senior citizens are taking their own lives.
According to researchers, the method of suicide could be related to different temperature thresholds, a study led by the University of Hong Kong found. The study reviewed almost 8,000 suicide cases involving city residents aged 65 or above between 1976 and 2014.
There were more cases using violent methods, such as hanging, cutting, or falling off a building, when there were more days in a month where the maximum daily temperature exceeded 30.3 degrees Celsius, the study suggested. And when there were more days with the temperature reaching above 32.7 degrees, there were more suicide cases using non-violent acts, such as poisoning.
“Fewer people are aware of the relationship between summer … and emotional health and suicide,” said Dr Patsy Chau Pui-hing, an associate professor from HKU’s school of nursing, who led the study.
