Pekka Martikainen, Kaarina Korhonen and Lasse Tarkiainen publish a new article on heavy metal toxicity and mortality in BMJ's Christmas Issue.
They sought to assess the association between area-level density of heavy metal bands and cause-specific hospital admissions and mortality. Using Longitudinal register-based data from 311 municipalities in Finland, they find no evidence for adverse health outcomes with increasing density of heavy metal bands. Cities with a high density of heavy metal bands showed slightly lower rates of mortality and of hospital admissions for alcohol-related problems and self-harm. Although residual confounding remains a problem in observational studies, vibrant local heavy metal scenes—comparable to many other forms of cultural capital—might help to promote health through healthier lifestyles, better coping mechanisms, and a stronger sense of community.
Read the article now here.