Birth month and depressive and suicidal symptoms in an elderly Australian sample born in the Southern or Northern Hemisphere

Pfaff, Jon J.; Bernert, Rebecca A.; Hollar, Daniel L.; Witte, Tracy K.; Merrill, Katherine A.; Pettit, Jeremy W.; Almeida, Osvaldo P.; Joiner, Thomas E.

doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2006.04.019

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Volume 144, Issue 2 , Pages 217-219, 15 November 2006

Birth month and depressive and suicidal symptoms in an elderly Australian sample born in the Southern or Northern Hemisphere

Jon J. Pfaff
- Unit of Geriatric Psychiatry, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
Rebecca A. Bernert
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-1270, USA
Daniel L. Hollar
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-1270, USA
Tracy K. Witte
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-1270, USA
Katherine A. Merrill
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-1270, USA
Jeremy W. Pettit
- Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
Osvaldo P. Almeida
- Unit of Geriatric Psychiatry, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
Thomas E. Joiner Jr.
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-1270, USA
- Corresponding author. Tel.: +1 850 644 1454; fax: +1 850 644 7739.

Received 3 February 2005; received in revised form 24 October 2005; accepted 20 April 2006.

Abstract

We examined the relationship between season of birth and depressive and suicidal symptoms among 859 elderly outpatients. Date and country of birth were recorded for each participant. Those in utero during the Northern or Southern Hemisphere flu peak were expected to show the highest depressive and suicidal symptoms. Hypotheses were partially supported.

Keywords: Season of birth, Suicidal symptoms, Depressive symptoms