Suicide tendencies and weather: the Quebec paradox

Research on suicide rates and weather parameters are scattered and are not very conclusives. However, studies have shown that in northern countries among factors with potential effects on suicide tendencies, meteorological and seasonnal elements are of a great influence. With Quebec being the coldest province of Canada and where the weather changes from one day or one season to the other have wide ampitudes, along with the fact that suicides rates in Quebec are higher compare with the other provinces, the presentation focuses on observations over temporal variation of suicide rates in Quebec in relation with atmospheric physical factors; calls for help statistics at a suicide-helping center lines in Montreal vs weather conditions are discussed. These relationships are of practical interest for many public health authorities since more demonstrated associations between suicide and weather changes might permit better timing of community interventions and potentially more effective prevention strategies.