pmc logo image
Logo of bmjBMJ helping doctors make better decisionsSearchLatest content
Journal List > BMJ > v.307(6919); Dec 18, 1993

Formats:
BMJ. 1993 December 18; 307(6919): 1584–1586.
PMCID: PMC1697765
Copyright notice
Is Friday the 13th bad for your health?
T J Scanlon, R N Luben, F L Scanlon, and N Singleton
Department of Public Health, Mid Downs Health Authority, Haywards Health, West Sussex.
Small right arrow pointing to: This article has been cited by other articles in PMC.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE--To examine the relation between health, behaviour, and superstition surrounding Friday 13th in the United Kingdom. DESIGN--Retrospective study of paired data comparing driving and shopping patterns and accidents. SUBJECTS--Drivers, shoppers, and residents. SETTING--South West Thames region. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES--Numbers of vehicles on motorways; numbers of shoppers in supermarkets; and hospital admissions due to accidents. RESULTS--There were consistently and significantly fewer vehicles on the southern section of the M25 on Friday the 13th compared with Friday the 6th. The numbers of shoppers were not significantly different on the two days. Admissions due to transport accidents were significantly increased on Friday 13th (total 65 v 45; p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS--Friday 13th is unlucky for some. The risk of hospital admission as a result of a transport accident may be increased by as much as 52%. Staying at home is recommended.
Full text
Full text is available as a scanned copy of the original print version. Get a printable copy (PDF file) of the complete article (605K), or click on a page image below to browse page by page. Links to PubMed are also available for Selected References.
 
icon of scanned page 1584
1584
icon of scanned page 1585
1585
icon of scanned page 1586
1586
 
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
  • Ohaeri JU. Experience of isolated sleep paralysis in clinical practice in Nigeria. J Natl Med Assoc. 1992 Jun;84(6):521–523. [PubMed]
  • Aderinokun GA, Oyejide CO. Societal opinions on the eruption of deciduous maxillary central incisors before the mandibular ones in Nigeria. Afr Dent J. 1991;5:26–30. [PubMed]
  • Burleigh E, Dardano C, Cruz JR. Colors, humors and evil eye: indigenous classification and treatment of childhood diarrhea in highland Guatemala. Med Anthropol. 1990 Nov;12(4):419–441. [PubMed]
  • Mahdihassan S. Chinese charms in the light of cosmogony. Am J Chin Med. 1990;18(1-2):87–94. [PubMed]
  • Leygues M, Gouteux JP. La lutte communautaire contre une endémie tropicale: croyances surnaturelles et pièges à tsétsé au Congo. Soc Sci Med. 1989;28(12):1255–1267. [PubMed]
Articles from BMJ : British Medical Journal are provided here courtesy of
BMJ Publishing Group

PubMed articles by these authors

Links