Bloomberg News (8/14, Lopatto) reports, “Men in rural areas may be prone to suicide during times of drought,” according to a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. After analyzing nearly 40 years of Australian rainfall records, researchers found that “in addition to the financial stress of failed crops, environmental degradation caused by extended dry spells also can be psychologically harmful.” In “men ages 30 to 49 who live in farming communities, droughts were associated with a 15 percent increase in the relative risk of suicide, the” study found.
Related Links:
— “Drought Increases Suicides For Rural Men, Researchers Say, “Elizabeth Lopatto, Bloomberg, August 13, 2012.