The epidemiology of case fatality rates for suicide in the northeast

Author: Miller M / Azrael D / Hemenway D
Publication: Ann Emerg Med
Topics: Age Group Gender Public Health
Keywords: AGE Gender Suicide lethality
Bibliographic information +

The authors examined the variation in method-specific case fatality rates (i.e. the fraction of suicide acts that resulted in death using a specific method) by age and gender, using data from state and federal agencies from 1996 to 2000. For every method, case fatality rates were higher for male victims and older individuals. Firearms were the most lethal means, followed by drowning, and hanging. Poisoning with drugs accounted for three quarters of acts but only fourteen percent of deaths, whereas firearms and hanging accounted for only a tenth of acts but 67% of fatalities.