NCJ Number
54903
Journal
Journal of the American Medical Association Volume: 200 Issue: 9 Dated: (MAY 29, 1967) Pages: 132-133
Date Published
1967
Length
2 pages
Annotation
TO ESTABLISH A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SUICIDAL TENDENCIES IN FEMALES AND DAYS OF THE MENSTRUAL CYCLE, RESEARCHERS GATHERED AND ANALYZED DATA FROM THE LOS ANGELES, CALIF. SUICIDE PREVENTION CENTER.
Abstract
SUICIDE PREVENTION CENTER TELEPHONE WORKERS WERE ASKED TO FILL OUT FORMS CONTAINING QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MENSTRUAL CYCLE FOR ALL WOMEN WHO CALLED IN FOR HELP. USING INFORMATION GATHERED FOR A SAMPLE OF 87 TELEPHONE CALLS REGARDING THE DATE OF THE CALL, THE DATE OF ONSET OF THE WOMAN'S NEXT EXPECTED AND LAST MENSTRUAL PERIOD, AND THE USUAL LENGTH OF HER MENSTRUAL CYCLE, RESEARCHERS DEVELOPEDD AN ANALYSIS MODEL USING THE CHI SQUARE. FINDINGS APPEAR TO SUBSTANTIATE RESEARCH DONE BY AN ENGLISH SCHOLAR INDICATING THAT ATTEMPTED SUICIDE, ACUTE PSYCHIATRIC DISTURBANCE, AND DEPRESSIVE ILLNESS OCCUR AT THE HIGHEST RATES FOR WOMEN DURING THE FIRST 4 DAYS OF MENSTRUATION, AT THE SECOND HIGHEST RATE DURING THE 4 PREMENSTRUAL DAYS, AND AT THE THIRD HIGHEST RATE DURING MIDCYCLE. REFERENCES AND TABULAR DATA ARE PROVIDED. (DAG)