title: Relationship of suicide rates with climate and economic variables in Europe during 2000-2012.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It is well known that suicidal rates vary considerably among European countries and the reasons for this are unknown, although several theories have been proposed. The effect of economic variables has been extensively studied but not that of climate.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from 29 European countries covering the years 2000-2012 and concerning male and female standardized suicidal rates (according to WHO), economic variables (according World Bank) and climate variables were gathered. The statistical analysis included cluster and principal component analysis and categorical regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The derived models explained 62.4 % of the variability of male suicidal rates. Economic variables alone explained 26.9 % and climate variables 37.6 %. For females, the respective figures were 41.7, 11.5 and 28.1 %. Male suicides correlated with high unemployment rate in the frame of high growth rate and high inflation and low GDP per capita, while female suicides correlated negatively with inflation. Both male and female suicides correlated with low temperature.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The current study reports that the climatic effect (cold climate) is stronger than the economic one, but both are present. It seems that in Europe suicidality follows the climate/temperature cline which interestingly is not from south to north but from south to north-east. This raises concerns that climate change could lead to an increase in suicide rates. The current study is essentially the first successful attempt to explain the differences across countries in Europe; however, it is an observational analysis based on aggregate data and thus there is a lack of control for confounders.
authors: 3rd Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors: Konstantinos N
authors: KN
authors: Fountoulakis
authors: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors: Isaia
authors: I
authors: Chatzikosta
authors: Department of Music Studies, School of Fine Arts, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors: Konstantinos
authors: K
authors: Pastiadis
authors: Department of Meteorology and Climatology, School of Geology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors: Prodromos
authors: P
authors: Zanis
authors: Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Center for Social Psychiatry, University Hospital of Psychiatry, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors: Wolfram
authors: W
authors: Kawohl
authors: Department of Clinical Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Education, VU University Amsterdam, Van der Boechorststraat 1, 1081 BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors: Ad J F M
authors: AJ
authors: Kerkhof
authors: Clinic of Psychiatric, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania.
authors: Alvydas
authors: A
authors: Navickas
authors: National Institute of Mental Health, Klecany, Czech Republic.
authors: Cyril
authors: C
authors: Höschl
authors: Institute of Mental Health, WHO Collaborating Centre, Palmoticeva 37, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia.
authors: Dusica
authors: D
authors: Lecic-Tosevski
authors: The George Washington University, School of Medicine & School of Public Health, Washington, DC USA.
authors: Eliot
authors: E
authors: Sorel
authors: Department of Psychiatry and Narcology, Riga Stradins University, Tvaika Str. 2, Riga, LV 1005 Latvia.
authors: Elmars
authors: E
authors: Rancans
authors: Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital, SNP 1, 040 66 Košice, Slovakia.
authors: Eva
authors: E
authors: Palova
authors: Department of Psychiatry, Ruhr University Bochum, LWL-University Hospital, Alexandrinenstr.1, 44791 Bochum, Germany.
authors: Georg
authors: G
authors: Juckel
authors: Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden.
authors: Goran
authors: G
authors: Isacsson
authors: Psychiatric Hospital Vojnik, Celjska Cesta 37, Vojnik, Slovenia.
authors: Helena Korosec
authors: HK
authors: Jagodic
authors: National Mental Health Center and Anti-drug, Bucharest, Romania.
authors: Ileana
authors: I
authors: Botezat-Antonescu
authors: Department of Adult Psychiatry, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland.
authors: Janusz
authors: J
authors: Rybakowski
authors: Department of Psychiatry, Sainte Marguerite Hospital, 13274 Marseille, France.
authors: Jean Michel
authors: JM
authors: Azorin
authors: East London NHS Trust, London, E1 4DG UK.
authors: John
authors: J
authors: Cookson
authors: Molecular & Cellular Therapeutics, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin 2, Ireland.
authors: John
authors: J
authors: Waddington
authors: University Psychiatric Hospital, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Pregelj
authors: University Psychiatric Center KU Leuven, Louvain, Belgium.
authors: Koen
authors: K
authors: Demyttenaere
authors: Second Psychiatric Clinic, University Hospital for Active Treatment in Neurology and Psychiatry "Sveti Naum", Sofia, Bulgaria.
authors: Luchezar G
authors: LG
authors: Hranov
authors: Psychiatric Clinic, Clinical Center of Montenegro, School of Medicine, University of Montenegro, Podgorica, Montenegro.
authors: Lidija Injac
authors: LI
authors: Stevovic
authors: Division of Biological Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors: Lucas
authors: L
authors: Pezawas
authors: Department of Psychiatry, Sainte Marguerite Hospital, 13274 Marseille, France.
authors: Marc
authors: M
authors: Adida
authors: Faculty of Medicine, University of Lisbon, Av. Prof. Egas Moniz, 1649-035 Lisbon, Portugal.
authors: Maria Luisa
authors: ML
authors: Figuera
authors: Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Center Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors: Miro
authors: M
authors: Jakovljević
authors: Centre for Epidemiology, Surveillance and Health Promotion (CNESPS), National Institute of Health (ISS), Rome, Italy.
authors: Monica
authors: M
authors: Vichi
authors: Psychiatry Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy ; Institute of Behavioral Sciences "G. De Lisio", Pisa, Italy.
authors: Giulio
authors: G
authors: Perugi
authors: NORMENT, KG Jebsen Centre for Psychosis Research, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway ; Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
authors: Ole A
authors: OA
authors: Andreassen
authors: Institute of Mental Health, School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors: Olivera
authors: O
authors: Vukovic
authors: Department of Psychiatry, Ruhr University Bochum, LWL-University Hospital, Alexandrinenstr.1, 44791 Bochum, Germany.
authors: Paraskevi
authors: P
authors: Mavrogiorgou
authors: Estonian-Swedish Mental Health and Suicidology Institute, Tallinn, Estonia.
authors: Peeter
authors: P
authors: Varnik
authors: Department of Clinical and Theoretical Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary ; Laboratory for Suicide Research and Prevention, National Institute of Psychiatry and Addictions, Budapest, Hungary.
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Dome
authors: National Institute of Mental Health, Klecany, Czech Republic.
authors: Petr
authors: P
authors: Winkler
authors: Department of Psychiatry, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
authors: Raimo K R
authors: RK
authors: Salokangas
authors: Department of Psychiatry, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
authors: Tiina
authors: T
authors: From
authors: Clinic of Psychiatric, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania.
authors: Vita
authors: V
authors: Danileviciute
authors: Department of Clinical and Theoretical Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary ; Laboratory for Suicide Research and Prevention, National Institute of Psychiatry and Addictions, Budapest, Hungary ; Department of Pharmacodynamics, MTA-SE, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary ; Neuropsychopharmacology and Neurochemistry Research Group, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary.
authors: Xenia
authors: X
authors: Gonda
authors: Department of Clinical and Theoretical Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary ; Laboratory for Suicide Research and Prevention, National Institute of Psychiatry and Addictions, Budapest, Hungary.
authors: Zoltan
authors: Z
authors: Rihmer
authors: Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden.
authors: Jonas
authors: J
authors: Forsman
authors: Molecular & Cellular Therapeutics, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin 2, Ireland.
authors: Anne
authors: A
authors: Grady
authors: Department of Psychiatry, Ioannina School of Medicine, Ioannina, Greece.
authors: Thomas
authors: T
authors: Hyphantis
authors: NORMENT, KG Jebsen Centre for Psychosis Research, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway ; Division of Mental Health and Addiction, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
authors: Ingrid
authors: I
authors: Dieset
authors: Psychiatric Research Unit, Mental Health Centre North Zealand, University of Copenhagen, Dyrehavevej 48, 3400 Hillerød, Denmark.
authors: Susan
authors: S
authors: Soendergaard
authors: Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs, Suicide Prevention Center, Sant'Andrea Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors: Maurizio
authors: M
authors: Pompili
authors: Psychiatric Research Unit, Mental Health Centre North Zealand, University of Copenhagen, Dyrehavevej 48, 3400 Hillerød, Denmark.
authors: Per
authors: P
authors: Bech
keywords: Austerity; Climate; Europe; Suicide