Health
Study Reveals Monday as Highest Risk Day for Suicides, Global Analysis Finds
A new global study spanning nearly four decades has found that individuals are more likely to die by suicide on Mondays than any other day of the week. The study, published in the BMJ, also reveals a heightened risk on New Year’s Day, with distinct regional differences in suicide patterns across the globe.
The study, which analyzed data from 1.7 million suicides across 26 countries between 1971 and 2019, shows that while Mondays posed the highest risk universally, trends varied by region. In North America, Asia, and many European countries, suicides were less frequent on weekends. However, in South and Central America, as well as in Finland and South Africa, the weekend saw an uptick in suicide rates.
The countries included in the study ranged from European nations like the UK, Germany, and Spain to regions across Asia and the Americas. While the reasons behind these trends remain unclear, researchers suggest that factors such as work-related stress at the start of the week, alcohol consumption over the weekend, and social isolation during the holidays—particularly among men—could be contributing factors.
New Year’s Day: A Significant Risk Period
The study also highlighted New Year’s Day as a high-risk period for suicide, particularly in countries like Chile, where the association was strongest. Brian O’Shea, a social psychology expert at the University of Nottingham who specializes in seasonal trends in suicide, but was not involved in the study, suggested that the combination of holiday drinking and emotional stress could play a significant role in pushing individuals to the brink.
“People drink more on New Year’s than usual, and if they are already dealing with emotional challenges, the physical effects of alcohol withdrawal could exacerbate their mental health struggles,” said O’Shea.
Men, in particular, are more vulnerable due to their higher alcohol consumption rates and weaker social networks compared to women, he added.
Holidays and Regional Differences in Suicide Risk
While the study did not find a universal trend for Christmas Day, it revealed that suicide rates tend to increase during Christmas in Central and South American countries as well as South Africa. In contrast, suicide rates typically fall around the holiday season in North America and Europe. Similarly, while suicides generally decline on Lunar New Year in South Korea, they do not follow the same trend in China and Taiwan.
Martin Plöderl, a clinical psychologist and suicide prevention researcher at Paracelsus Medical University in Austria, noted that socio-cultural factors like religious beliefs, holiday timings, and work-life balance play a significant role in these variations. “We need to take a closer look at the socio-cultural factors that differ across regions,” Plöderl said, emphasizing the complexity of the issue.
Implications for Mental Health Services
Experts believe that the study’s findings could inform mental health clinicians and suicide prevention programs. Plöderl suggested that heightened awareness of risk during specific holidays, such as New Year’s Day, could lead to changes in clinical practice, such as delaying hospital discharges around this period.
O’Shea also emphasized the importance of increasing staffing for suicide prevention hotlines and emergency resources during high-risk periods. “Knowing these trends at a population level means we can allocate resources accordingly and potentially reduce deaths,” he said.
The study offers valuable insights into global suicide patterns and could help shape future efforts in suicide prevention and mental health support.
Health
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Health
Obesity Linked to Poorer Outcomes in Childhood Cancer Patients, Study Finds
Children with obesity diagnosed with cancer face significantly worse health outcomes, including a heightened risk of relapse and death, according to a new Canadian study.
The research, published in the journal Cancer, analyzed data from over 11,000 cancer patients aged 2 to 19, of whom 10.5% were obese at diagnosis. The study examined various cancers, including leukemia, lymphoma, and other tumors, and found that obesity negatively impacted outcomes across the entire cohort.
Increased Risk of Relapse and Mortality
The findings revealed that obese children had a 16% higher risk of cancer relapse and a 29% increased risk of death within five years of diagnosis, even after accounting for factors such as age, sex, and ethnicity.
“Our study highlights the negative impact of obesity among all types of childhood cancers,” said Dr. Thai Hoa Tran, a pediatric hematologist and oncologist at the University Hospital Centre Sainte-Justine in Montreal, Canada, and one of the study’s authors.
Dr. Tran emphasized the need for strategies to address obesity’s impact on cancer outcomes in future clinical trials and highlighted the importance of combating the childhood obesity epidemic to prevent severe health consequences.
Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia and Brain Tumors Most Affected
The study found the impact of obesity was particularly pronounced in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL)—a cancer of the blood and bone marrow—and brain tumors. Researchers suggested that fat tissue may play an active role in tumor progression, metastasis, and resistance to treatment.
Previous research has indicated that adipose (fat) tissue cells can promote tumor development and hinder the effectiveness of therapies. Additionally, the study noted concerns about potential undertreatment and inappropriate dosing of chemotherapy in obese patients, which could further compromise outcomes.
Limitations and Calls for Improved Measures
The researchers acknowledged limitations in their study, including reliance on body mass index (BMI) to define obesity. They pointed out that BMI is an imprecise measure that does not fully capture body composition or nutritional status.
“BMI remains a crude and imperfect measure,” the authors wrote, echoing recent calls from experts to adopt more accurate diagnostic tools for obesity. Critics argue that BMI may lead to overdiagnosis or fail to reflect the nuanced impact of weight on health outcomes.
Implications and Urgency
The findings underscore the urgent need for interventions targeting childhood obesity and call for more precise research to better understand the interplay between obesity and cancer treatment. As childhood obesity rates continue to rise globally, addressing this epidemic could have far-reaching implications for improving survival rates and health outcomes for young cancer patients.
Health
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