ArticleNeuropsychiatrie : Klinik, Diagnostik, Therapie und Rehabilitation : Organ der Gesellschaft Osterreichischer Nervenarzte und Psychiater2017
[Impact of natural lithium ressources on suicide mortality in Chile 2000-2009: a geographical analysis].
Article in Neuropsychiatrie : Klinik, Diagnostik, Therapie und Rehabilitation : Organ der Gesellschaft Osterreichischer Nervenarzte und Psychiater, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.
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Who cites it
5 citing papers in PubMed, 12 citations in OpenAlex.
- History of Suicide Prevention with Lithium Treatment.Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
- Anti-suicide effect of lithium at infratherapeutic dose, a case report.Actas espanolas de psiquiatria · 2022Article
- Lithium in Drinking Water as a Public Policy for Suicide Prevention: Relevance and Considerations.Frontiers in public health · 2022Review
- Is Lithium a Micronutrient? From Biological Activity and Epidemiological Observation to Food Fortification.Biological trace element research · 2019Review
- On the rubidium and lithium content and availability in the sub-arid south-eastern Mediterranean: potential health implications.Environmental geochemistry and health · 2018Article
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Authors and funding
7 authors at 3 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
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Abstract
backgroundThere is increasing evidence for the hypothesis that lithium salts at naturally occurring levels in drinking water may have a moderating effect on suicide rates of the exposed population. The aim of this study was to examine whether the lithium rich Atacama region in Chile is associated with lower suicide mortality in comparison to other regions.
methodsSuicide data was acquired from the Chilean Ministry of Health. Socio-economic variables (rate of unemployment, urbanity, median household income, percentage of indeginous population) were obtained for all regions of Chile from the national statistical institute. We calculated annual suicide rates per 100,000 for each group for the years 2000-2009 and tested the hypothesis that suicide rates are lower in lithium rich regions in comparison to other regions of Chile.
resultsThe lithium rich Atacama Desert shows a significantly lower suicide rate (9.99 per 100,000) in comparison to other parts of Chile (12.50 per 100,000) (t = 4.75, df = 18, p < 0.001).
conclusionsChilean regions rich in naturally occurring lithium salts show lower suicide mortality rates in comparison to other regions. Although causality cannot be proven by this design, these findings add to previous findings and warrant further research on the effects of naturally occurring low-dose lithium on health.
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