title: Trends and monthly variations in the historical record of suicide in Japan from 1976 to 1994.
abstract: Monthly suicide rates in Japan were analyzed for the period from 1976 to 1994 to clarify trends and recurring effects. The data were separated by sex, and the least-squares method was used. The major findings were (1) a significant positive correlation between unemployment rate and suicide rate for both sexes, (2) the suicide rate was highest in April for both sexes, and (3) an upsurge in male suicide mortality was noted from 1983 to 1990. These findings may well be associated with socioeconomic factors as well as neurobehavioral variables.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Promotion and Human Behavior, Graduate School of Public Health, Kyoto University, Yoshida-konoe, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan.
authors.forename: Akiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yamasaki
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Morgenthaler
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kaneko
authors.forename: Taro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shirakawa
mesh_terms: D002423:Cause of Death / Q000639:trends; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D016018:Least-Squares Analysis; D008297:Male; D015233:Models, Statistical; D010507:Periodicity; D012621:Seasons; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends; D014478:Unemployment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data