ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The UK Government's White Paper Saving Lives: Our Healthier Nation included among its targets a reduction in suicide. AIMS: To study causes of change in suicide rate over a 30-year period in Newcastle upon Tyne. METHOD: Suicide rates and methods, based on coroners' inquest records, were compared over two periods (1961-1965 and 1985-1994) and differences were related to changes in exposure to poisions and prescribed drugs, and to socio-demographic changes. RESULTS: Demographic and social changes had taken place which would adversely affect suicide rates. However, a dramatic fall was found in the rate for women, and a modest decline in that for men. Reduced exposure to carbon monoxide and to barbiturates coincided with the fall in rates. CONCLUSIONS: Reduced exposure to lethal methods was responsible for the fall in rate in both genders, while the gender difference in favour of women may be related to their preference for non-violent methods or to their being less affected by the social changes.
Subject(s)
Poisoning/mortality , Suicide/statistics & numerical data , Adolescent , Adult , Age Distribution , Aged , Carbon Monoxide Poisoning/mortality , Cause of Death , England/epidemiology , Female , Humans , Male , Marital Status , Mental Disorders/psychology , Middle Aged , Multivariate Analysis , Residence Characteristics , Retirement/statistics & numerical data , Risk Factors , Sex Distribution , Suicide/trends , Unemployment/statistics & numerical dataABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Open verdicts are often included in with suicides for research purposes and for setting health targets. AIMS: To examine similarities and differences in cases defined by the coroner as suicide and open verdicts and the implications of open verdicts for suicide research. METHOD: All cases of open and suicide verdicts recorded in the Newcastle Coroner's Court in the period 1985-1994 were compared on demographic and medical parameters. RESULTS: Open and suicide verdicts had many similarities, differing only in some respects, of which logistic regression identified the most significant to be a suicide note, method used and age. CONCLUSIONS: Open verdicts should be included in all suicide research after excluding cases in which suicide was unlikely. Objective criteria are needed to facilitate comparison between different studies.
