Examining Periodic Differences of Suicide Cases with Circular Data Analysis

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study is to analyze suicide cases with circular data analysis and to compare them with the standard linear analysis method and to guide the implementation of long-term social protective programs.
METHODS: Circular data analysis was used as method. However, standard linear statistics method was also used to compare the results of circular data analysis.
RESULTS: Men constitute 74.91% of 15731 cases included in the study. Disease (39.84%) has been identified as the highest risk factor. Despite having a low concentration, the most suicide occurred in May (9.43%). Furthermore, a significant relationship was found between suicide causes and gender and suicide causes and months (p<0.05). In the analyses performed by circular data analysis, although the mean direction of suicides indicated May 29 (148.11°), suicides spread throughout the year according to circular variance (0.96). It was determined that the mean directions of suicide causes among from 1 April (90.02°) to 19 July (199.69°), so the concentration of suicide was in this interval.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: However, according to the distribution measures, all causes of suicide, except educational failure, showed a multimodal distribution. It can be stated that at least one sample distribution, mean direction, condensation parameter differs from other sample parameters in terms of itself species (p<0.05). Suicide cases were seen more common among men and during the spring-summer months. It is recommended to take preventive measures according to risk factors in order to prevent suicides, especially in periods determined.