Premium
Lunar Association with Suicide *
Author(s) -
Jones Paul K.,
Jones Susan L.
Publication year - 1977
Publication title -
suicide and life‐threatening behavior
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.544
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1943-278X
pISSN - 0363-0234
DOI - 10.1111/j.1943-278x.1977.tb00887.x
Subject(s) - full moon , new moon , phase (matter) , suicide rates , demography , moon landing , association (psychology) , astrobiology , suicide prevention , medicine , poison control , psychology , medical emergency , physics , astronomy , sociology , psychotherapist , zoology , apollo , quantum mechanics , biology
Suicides in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, for 1972–1975 are tabulated by year, month of year, day of week, lunar phase, and holiday occurrence. Only lunar phase demonstrates a significant ( p < .01) variation in suicide rate; an increase is observed in this sample with respect to new moon phase but not for full moon phase. Explanations for this finding are considered, but the precise reasons remain unknown.