An Increase in the Number of Deaths in the United States in the First Week of the Month — An Association with Substance Abuse and Other Causes of Death

Authors:
  • NCNicholas Christenfeld
    Nicholas Christenfeld
  • NRNatalie M. Ryan
    Natalie M. Ryan
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Abstract
There are regular changes in mortality rates, such as increased rates of death from influenza in the winter and from motor vehicle accidents on long holiday weekends. Previous research has shown that among persons with schizophrenia, the rates of cocaine use and hospital admissions increase at the beginning of the month, after the receipt of disability payments. Using computerized data from all death certificates in the United States between 1973 and 1988, we compared the number of deaths in the first week of the month with the number of deaths in the last week of the preceding month.

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