Correlations for number of sunspots, unemployment rate, and suicide mortality in Japan.
We studied the correlations among sunspot numbers, business cycles, and suicide mortalitites. Based on data from Japan between 1971 and 2001, a significant negative correlation between sunspot numbers and unemployment rate was found, R= -.17. The correlation between suicide mortality and unemployment rate was positive for males (R=.46) and negative for females (R =-.69). Both are statistically significant. The hypothesis that variation of sun activity may affect the economy and the unemployment rate and hence increase the male suicide mortality is raised.
Otsu
Akiko
A
Department of Health Promotion and Human Behavior, Graduate School of Public Health, Kyoto University, Japan. otsu-tky@umin.ac.jp
Chinami
Masanobu
M
Morgenthale
Stephan
S
Kaneko
Yoshihiro
Y
Fujita
Daisuke
D
Shirakawa
Taro
T
D002423:Cause of Death; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D012737:Sex Factors; D019445:Solar Activity; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014478:Unemployment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*