The Environment and Suicide – Why Suicidologists Should Support Climate                     Change Policies

Lester, David

doi:10.1027/0227-5910/a000752

Cited by 10 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…Therefore, for suicidologists and their organizations, the potential rise in suicides is troubling and should lead to our support for those arguing for climate change policies. The organizations involved in suicide prevention should make public position statements, lending support to the growing demand for action on climate change (76).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Meteorological Variables and Suicidal Behavior: Air Pollution and Apparent Temperature Are Associated With High-Lethality Suicide Attempts and Male Gender

et al. 2021

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This study analyzed the impact of meteorological variables and high-lethality suicide attempts (HLSA) to assess a potential time shift of HLSA affected by climate evolution to predict the suicide attempt cases over different periods of the year. After attempting suicide, 225 subjects were admitted to the emergency ward of the IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino and later to the psychiatric unit from March 2016 to July 2018. Socio-demographic and clinical characteristics as well as the meteorological variables were collected. The Mann-Kendall test as well as redundancy and cross-correlation analyses were performed to analyze the trends, statistically correlations, and correspondence of the trends, respectively between suicidal behaviors and climatic factors. Sixty-seven (29.8%) committed a HLSA. Our findings indicate a significant association between HLSA and male gender and apparent temperature with a strong correlation of 75% with a phase shift of −1 month. Solar radiation and air pollution (PM2.5) have a positive correlation of 65 and 32%, respectively, with a zero-time lag. Limitations include that the data are limited to a single hospital; psychological factors, or other clinical variables that could be ruled out as a trigger have not been considered. Meteorological variables may not mirror the temperature that the patient is exposed to due to the air conditioning systems. Exploring those environmental factors associated with HLSA in a more detailed manner could lead to early intervention and prevention strategies for such distressing admissions.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Meteorological Variables and Suicidal Behavior: Air Pollution and Apparent Temperature Are Associated With High-Lethality Suicide Attempts and Male Gender

et al. 2021

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“…4 A recent Australian study showed that eco-anger is a key emotional driver of engagement with climate action, while eco-anxiety and eco-depression were likely to be linked with disengagement and mental health problems. 30 Nevertheless, Lester 31 called for leading international and national suicide prevention organisations to urge governments to promote policies for mitigating climate change. Overall, a comprehensive policy response to eco-grief, eco-anxiety, and suicidality related to the impacts of climate change would require a multifaceted approach that addresses both the mental health impacts of climate change and the underlying causes of this issue.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Eco-emotions and suicidal ideation and behaviour: A systematic literature review

Kõlves,

Shaw-Williams,

Krishnamoorthy

et al. 2023

Preprint

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IntroductionAlthough there have been assumptions about the link between eco-emotions and suicidality, there is currently no systematic evidence. Therefore, the aim of this review is to systematically examine empirical literature analysing the link between eco-emotions and suicidal ideation and behaviours, both fatal and non-fatal.MethodsThe review protocol was pre-registered in PROSPERO [CRD42022352379] and the PRISMA checklist was followed. Searches were conducted in six electronic databases (Scopus (Elsevier), Medline (PubMed), Web of Science, ProQuest, CINAHL and Embase) for peer-reviewed English language literature published from 1 January 2000 until 16 September 2023. Screening of titles, abstracts and full texts was conducted independently by two reviewers and any discrepancies were resolved in consultation with a senior researcher. The Johanna Briggs Institute’s quality appraisal tools were used for quality assessment.ResultsSearch results revealed 559 records. After removal of duplicates, 424 articles were screened. After title and abstract screening, 28 articles were included for full text screening. Only one paper satisfied the inclusion criteria. A cross-sectional online knowledge, attitudes, and practice (KAP) survey among practicing mental health professionals across the State of Minnesota analysed the impact of climate change on their work and clients. Although the study did not specifically focus on suicidality, it reported that 22% of practicing mental health professionals had seen evidence of suicidal ideation or attempts in their clients as an outcome of climate change.ConclusionThere is a lack of research on the association between eco-emotions and suicidality. Considering advancing climate change research, our review emphasizes an urgent need to conduct high level research to analyse the association between eco-emotions and suicidality and consider its potential implications.What is already known on this topic?There’s a recognized and growing concern about the impact of climate change on mental health, particularly the emergence of eco-emotions such as eco-anxiety, eco-grief, and solastalgia. While studies have linked higher temperatures and natural disasters to suicidality, research specifically examining the association between eco-emotions and suicidal ideation and behaviours is lacking.What this study adds?This systematic literature review revealed a stark scarcity of research connecting eco-emotions with suicidal ideation and behaviours. Only one paper met the inclusion criteria of the review. This scarcity underscores the urgent need for more comprehensive studies exploring the potential connection between eco-emotions and suicidality at an individual level.How this study might affect research, practice, or policy?The limited findings from this review highlight the pressing need for more in-depth research to determine and understand the association between eco-emotions and suicidal ideation and behaviours. It emphasizes the necessity for interdisciplinary research for a multi-faceted approach addressing mental health impacts of climate change and its underlying causes, calling for informed engagement, mental health support, and policy actions to mitigate eco-grief and anxiety related to climate change impacts.

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“…La exposición a diferentes agresiones climáticas se asocia con distrés psicológico, empeoramiento de la salud mental y aumento de la mortalidad en sujetos con o sin antecedentes en este sentido. Se asocia, también, con un incremento en las tasas de ingresos hospitalarios en los servicios de psiquiatría y en la de suicidios (12)(13).…”

Section: -Efectos Del CC Sobre La Saludunclassified

Climate change, health and the elderly

Casado

2023

an. ranm

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The consequences of climate changes are, at this moment, one of the greatest threats for human health, especially when we talk of older population. This paper collects same recent evidences coming from medical literature, with the enphasis foccussed on elderly people, preferent victims of these changes, due to the functional losses produced during the aging proccess. There is an increase in mortality and morbidity, especially among patients with chronic conditions and/or cardiac and respiratory diseases. There is, also, an increase in the incidence of infectious diseases attributable to air and water contamination, beause of a lower quality in their physical, chemical and biological propierties. Altough it is a global phenomenon, it incides most on victims from the poorest and less pepared countries. The last part of the paper offers, also according with reccent medical studies, some suggestions oriented on what we can do to limit these deletereous effects.

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The Environment and Suicide – Why Suicidologists Should Support Climate Change Policies

Cited by 10 publications

References 18 publications

Meteorological Variables and Suicidal Behavior: Air Pollution and Apparent Temperature Are Associated With High-Lethality Suicide Attempts and Male Gender

Meteorological Variables and Suicidal Behavior: Air Pollution and Apparent Temperature Are Associated With High-Lethality Suicide Attempts and Male Gender

Eco-emotions and suicidal ideation and behaviour: A systematic literature review

Climate change, health and the elderly

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