<p>The study was carried out by Robert Stewart from the Institute of Psychiatry at King's College London, and scientists from Tongde Hospital in Zhejiang Province, China.<br />Pesticides commonly used in China and in other low income countries are organophosphates. They have been banned in many Western nations. <br /><br />"Organophosphates are particularly lethal chemicals when taken in overdose and are a cause of many suicides worldwide. Our research findings provides further support for calls for tighter international restrictions on agricultural pesticide availability and use," says Stewart. <br /><br />They are known to be very dangerous if ingested as an overdose but there is also biological evidence that chronic low-grade exposure to these chemicals, which are very easily absorbed through the skin and lungs, may harm mental health. <br />The study was carried out in central and coastal China, a relatively wealthy area with a rapidly developing economy. In a very large survey of mental health in rural community residents, participants were also asked about how they stored pesticides, a King's College release said. <br /><br />"The findings of this study suggested potential causal links and might partially account for the much higher incidence of suicide in rural than urban areas of China," Jianmin Zhang, a psychiatrist at Tongde Hospital, said.</p>
<p>The study was carried out by Robert Stewart from the Institute of Psychiatry at King's College London, and scientists from Tongde Hospital in Zhejiang Province, China.<br />Pesticides commonly used in China and in other low income countries are organophosphates. They have been banned in many Western nations. <br /><br />"Organophosphates are particularly lethal chemicals when taken in overdose and are a cause of many suicides worldwide. Our research findings provides further support for calls for tighter international restrictions on agricultural pesticide availability and use," says Stewart. <br /><br />They are known to be very dangerous if ingested as an overdose but there is also biological evidence that chronic low-grade exposure to these chemicals, which are very easily absorbed through the skin and lungs, may harm mental health. <br />The study was carried out in central and coastal China, a relatively wealthy area with a rapidly developing economy. In a very large survey of mental health in rural community residents, participants were also asked about how they stored pesticides, a King's College release said. <br /><br />"The findings of this study suggested potential causal links and might partially account for the much higher incidence of suicide in rural than urban areas of China," Jianmin Zhang, a psychiatrist at Tongde Hospital, said.</p>