Increased suicides during new year, but not during Christmas in Sweden : analysis of cause of death data 2006-2015

• Background: Previous studies have investigated the impact of the Christmas and New Year holiday on suicide rates. However, no such data has yet been published on Swedish suicides.Aims: To examine the occurrence of suicides on these dates in Sweden between 2006 and 2015.Methods: The suicide count for each date between December 15th and January 15th was obtained from the Swedish cause of death registry. The observations were transformed to Z-scores to enable calculation of p-values.Results: A small but non-significant decrease in suicides was observed on Christmas and New Year’s Eve. A significant spike was found on New Year’s Day (NYD) (Z = 3.40; p < .001), and these excess suicide occurred mainly among men aged 15–24 and 45–64. However, the number of suicides were somewhat lower than expected on the 31st of December (Z = −1.58; p = .115).Discussion: The noted increase in suicide on NYD is in line with previous research from other countries. However, the decrease in suicides on the day before NYD suggests a delay rather than a spontaneous increase of suicides. Possible mechanisms to explain this phenomenon are discussed, such as the “broken promise effect”, increased alcohol consumption, or lower help-seeking and accessibility to care.

Subject headings

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Psykologi (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Psychology (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Psykiatri (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Psychiatry (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Folkhälsovetenskap, global hälsa, socialmedicin och epidemiologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Public Health, Global Health, Social Medicine and Epidemiology (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Suicide

Sweden

holidays

Christmas

new year

alcohol use

prevention

broken promise effect

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)