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The time for suicide

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

M. Gallerani ,
F. M. Avato ,
D. Dal Monte ,
S. Caracciolo ,
C. Fersini  and
R. Manfredini
M. Gallerani*
Affiliation:
Emergency Department, St Anna Hospital, Institute of Legal and Insurance Medicine, Department of Psychology and Institute of First Internal Medicine, University of Ferrara, Italy
F. M. Avato
Affiliation:
Emergency Department, St Anna Hospital, Institute of Legal and Insurance Medicine, Department of Psychology and Institute of First Internal Medicine, University of Ferrara, Italy
D. Dal Monte
Affiliation:
Emergency Department, St Anna Hospital, Institute of Legal and Insurance Medicine, Department of Psychology and Institute of First Internal Medicine, University of Ferrara, Italy
S. Caracciolo
Affiliation:
Emergency Department, St Anna Hospital, Institute of Legal and Insurance Medicine, Department of Psychology and Institute of First Internal Medicine, University of Ferrara, Italy
C. Fersini
Affiliation:
Emergency Department, St Anna Hospital, Institute of Legal and Insurance Medicine, Department of Psychology and Institute of First Internal Medicine, University of Ferrara, Italy
R. Manfredini
Affiliation:
Emergency Department, St Anna Hospital, Institute of Legal and Insurance Medicine, Department of Psychology and Institute of First Internal Medicine, University of Ferrara, Italy
*
1Address for correspondence: Dr Massimo Gallerani, Emergency Department, St Anna Hospital, Corso Giovecca 203, I-44100, Italy.
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Synopsis

To evaluate whether a time pattern exists in the occurrence of suicide, 223 cases observed in Ferrara, Italy, over a 10-year period were considered. The determination of the hour of suicide was precise in 99 cases, presumptive (within a range of 1 hour) in 53, while for another 44 cases it was possible to define a probable time of suicide, grouping into four 6-hour periods (night, morning, afternoon, and evening). The remaining 27 cases were excluded as it was impossible to determine the time reliably. The data were analysed both by means of χ2 test for goodness-of-fit and by single cosinor. A specific pattern, characterized by a significant peak in the late morning – early afternoon hours was found for the entire sample and sex subgroups.

Type
Brief Communication
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 26 , Issue 4 , July 1996 , pp. 867 - 870
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1996

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References

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