Reported association of air pollution and suicide rate could be confounded

Abstract

A statistical association between ambient air pollution and suicide mortality has been recently reported in Environmental Health, which seems not to be scientifically supported by their data. In this article, very low (unrealistic) suicide rate is reported, which is subjected to selection bias. Their justification is also flawed as high exposure to ambient air pollution in rural areas is lower as compared to urban residents. Weekends, holidays, time of death … are also both air pollution and suicide rate related. Reported statistical association of air pollution and suicide in this study is heavily confound. Please see article under discussion: https://ehjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12940-016-0177-1 .