Abstract

Background:The purpose of this study was to check for possible links between mortality statistics in a given month, generally from all causes and specifically from selected causes, and three kinds of cosmophysical activity: solar (SA), geomagnetic (GMA), and cosmic ray (CR). We also compared the results obtained for correlation by gender.Material/Methods: 504,243 deaths were analyzed from the National Database of Lithuania (1990–2001); 102,604 OP deaths (1988–2000) were also included in this study and compared with data obtained from neutron monitoring data and other physical sources for the same time period.Results: The total monthly number of deaths for 144 consecutive months was significantly and inversely correlated with SA and positively with CR activity, but not with GMA. The number of deaths from cancer, suicide, motor vehicle accidents, and acute myocardial infarction correlated with all three physical factors. SA and GMA show inverse effects as compared to CR. Ischemci heart disease deaths correlated only with GMA, cardiovascular accidents with SA and CR. Non-cardiovascular and suicide deaths were most strongly correlated to CR activity.Conclusions: The number of deaths is significantly related to physical activity in the space environment. These relationships show differences between kinds of deaths and significant correlation for the number of acute myocardial infarctions. Gender differences in links with physical activity in space were found in some of the compared groups.

Keywords: Cosmic Radiation, Electromagnetic Fields, Mortality - trends, Myocardial Infarction - epidemiology, Periodicity, Sex Factors, Solar Activity, Statistics, Time Factors, Cosmic Radiation, Electromagnetic Fields, Mortality - trends, Myocardial Infarction - epidemiology, Periodicity, Sex Factors, Solar Activity, Statistics as Topic, Time Factors