Around the world, the risk of suicide increases on certain days of the week and holidays

MONDAY, Oct. 28, 2024 (HealthDay News) — The risk of suicide is highest on Mondays and increases on New Year’s Day in most countries, according to a study published online Oct. 23. BMJ.

Dr. Whanhee Lee of Pusan ​​National University in Yangsan, South Korea, and colleagues assessed short-term changes in suicide risk by day of the week and public holidays in many countries. The analysis included data from 740 locations in 26 countries and territories (between 1971 and 2019) collected from the Multi-City Multi-country Collaborative Research Network database.

The researchers found that across all countries, Mondays had the highest risk of suicide on weekdays. In many countries in North America, Asia and Europe, suicide risk was lowest on Saturdays and Sundays. However, in South and Central American countries, Finland and South Africa, the risk increased on weekends. Most countries saw a significant increase in suicide risk on New Year’s Day, but evidence of increased risk on Christmas Day was weak. There was a slight decrease in suicide risk on other public holidays, except in Central and South American countries, where the risk generally increased one or two days after the holiday.

“The results of this study may help to better understand short-term differences in suicide risk and to define suicide prevention action plans and awareness campaigns,” the authors write.

Summary/full text