Zoltán Rihmer1, Melinda Hal2, Balázs Kapitány3, Xénia Gonda4, Márta Vargha5, Péter Döme6. 1. Department of Clinical and Theoretical Mental Health, Semmelweis University, Faculty of Medicine, Budapest, Hungary; National Institute of Psychiatry and Addictions, Laboratory for Suicide Research and Prevention, Budapest, Hungary. Electronic address: rihmer.zoltan@med.semmelweis-univ.hu. 2. Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Institute of Psychology, Piliscsaba, Hungary. 3. Demographic Research Institute of the Hungarian Central Statistical Office, Budapest, Hungary. 4. Department of Clinical and Theoretical Mental Health, Semmelweis University, Faculty of Medicine, Budapest, Hungary; National Institute of Psychiatry and Addictions, Laboratory for Suicide Research and Prevention, Budapest, Hungary; MTA-SE Neuropsychopharmacology and Neurochemistry Research Group, Budapest, Hungary. 5. National Institute of Environmental Health, Department of Water Hygiene, Budapest, Hungary. 6. Department of Clinical and Theoretical Mental Health, Semmelweis University, Faculty of Medicine, Budapest, Hungary; National Institute of Psychiatry and Addictions, Laboratory for Suicide Research and Prevention, Budapest, Hungary.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Arsenic-contaminated drinking water (ACDW) represents a major global public health problem. A few previous studies suggested that consuming ACDW may be associated with elevated risk for depression. AIM: Since depression is the most relevant risk factor for suicide, we hypothesized that consumption of ACDW may be also associated with suicide. METHOD: To investigate this, we compared the age-standardized suicide rates (SSR) of 1639 Hungarian settlements with low (≤10μg/l), intermediate (11-30μg/l), high (31-50μg/l) and very high (≥51μg/l) levels of arsenic in drinking water. RESULT: We found a positive association between SSR and consumption of ACDW. LIMITATIONS: (1) we used aggregated (i.e., non-individual) data; (2) we have not adjusted our model for important medical and socio-demographic determinants of suicidal behavior; (3) we had no data on differences in bottled water consumption between settlements. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that in addition to its well-known adverse health effects, consumption of ACDW may also be associated with suicidal behavior.
BACKGROUND:Arsenic-contaminated drinking water (ACDW) represents a major global public health problem. A few previous studies suggested that consuming ACDW may be associated with elevated risk for depression. AIM: Since depression is the most relevant risk factor for suicide, we hypothesized that consumption of ACDW may be also associated with suicide. METHOD: To investigate this, we compared the age-standardized suicide rates (SSR) of 1639 Hungarian settlements with low (≤10μg/l), intermediate (11-30μg/l), high (31-50μg/l) and very high (≥51μg/l) levels of arsenic in drinking water. RESULT: We found a positive association between SSR and consumption of ACDW. LIMITATIONS: (1) we used aggregated (i.e., non-individual) data; (2) we have not adjusted our model for important medical and socio-demographic determinants of suicidal behavior; (3) we had no data on differences in bottled water consumption between settlements. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that in addition to its well-known adverse health effects, consumption of ACDW may also be associated with suicidal behavior.