Lithium in drinking water and suicide rates across the East of England

Nikolett Kabacs; Anjum Memon; Thom Obinwa; Jan Stochl; Jesus Perez

doi:10.1192/bjp.bp.110.088617

Lithium in drinking water and suicide rates across the East of England

Nikolett Kabacs, Anjum Memon, Thom Obinwa, Jan Stochl, Jesus Perez

Health Sciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Lithium can be found naturally in drinking water. In clinical practice, it is widely used in pharmacological doses for the treatment of bipolar disorder; and may also prevent suicidal behaviour in people with mood disorders. In two studies, lithium levels in tap water have been significantly and negatively correlated with suicide. We measured lithium levels in tap water in the 47 subdivisions of the East of England and correlated these with the respective suicide standardised mortality ratio in each subdivision. We found no association between lithium in drinking water and suicide rates across the East of England from 2006 to 2008.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	406-7
Number of pages	2
Journal	The British journal of psychiatry : the journal of mental science
Volume	198
Issue number	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.bp.110.088617
Publication status	Published - May 2011

Keywords

Adult
Antidepressive Agents
England
Female
Humans
Lithium
Male
Mood Disorders
Suicide
Water Supply

Access to Document

10.1192/bjp.bp.110.088617

Cite this

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title = "Lithium in drinking water and suicide rates across the East of England",

abstract = "Lithium can be found naturally in drinking water. In clinical practice, it is widely used in pharmacological doses for the treatment of bipolar disorder; and may also prevent suicidal behaviour in people with mood disorders. In two studies, lithium levels in tap water have been significantly and negatively correlated with suicide. We measured lithium levels in tap water in the 47 subdivisions of the East of England and correlated these with the respective suicide standardised mortality ratio in each subdivision. We found no association between lithium in drinking water and suicide rates across the East of England from 2006 to 2008.",

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author = "Nikolett Kabacs and Anjum Memon and Thom Obinwa and Jan Stochl and Jesus Perez",

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AU - Kabacs, Nikolett

AU - Memon, Anjum

AU - Obinwa, Thom

AU - Stochl, Jan

AU - Perez, Jesus

PY - 2011/5

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AB - Lithium can be found naturally in drinking water. In clinical practice, it is widely used in pharmacological doses for the treatment of bipolar disorder; and may also prevent suicidal behaviour in people with mood disorders. In two studies, lithium levels in tap water have been significantly and negatively correlated with suicide. We measured lithium levels in tap water in the 47 subdivisions of the East of England and correlated these with the respective suicide standardised mortality ratio in each subdivision. We found no association between lithium in drinking water and suicide rates across the East of England from 2006 to 2008.

KW - Adult

KW - Antidepressive Agents

KW - England

KW - Female

KW - Humans

KW - Lithium

KW - Male

KW - Mood Disorders

KW - Suicide

KW - Water Supply

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JO - The British journal of psychiatry : the journal of mental science

JF - The British journal of psychiatry : the journal of mental science

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