The Influence of Altitude and Ambient Temperatures on Suicide Deaths in Türkiye from 2007 to 2022

INTRODUCTION: The high rate of suicide worldwide is one of the biggest obstacles to meeting the WHO goal of reducing deaths by one-third by 2030. Previous studies have proven that suicide risk factors have an intertwined impact on suicide rates. The aim of this study was to define the relationship between the suicide rates in all provinces in Türkiye and the altitudes of these provinces, annual average winter and summer temperatures, temperature differences between winter and summer, and to investigate the relationship between suicide rates and gender, age group, socioeconomic scores of the provinces, reasons for suicide and types of suicide.
METHODS: The crude data for the current study were obtained from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK) public website.
RESULTS: Between 2007 and 2022, there were 52,300 suicides in 81 cities in Türkiye, comprising 38,564 males and 13,736 females. An increase in altitude was found to be associated with higher suicide rates in females and young people. For children aged <15 years, a low ambient temperature increased suicide rates. A positive correlation was detected between an increase in mean temperature and suicide committed by jumping from a high place and between an increase in the seasonal temperature difference and suicide by hanging.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The variations in suicide rates associated with altitude and ambient temperature may provide an opportunity to identify times of high risk for individuals with suicidal tendencies and thereby enable them to receive increased psychological support during these times of change.