The experience of survivors of firearms suicide attempts: A retrospective case series

Objective: We sought to identify people who survived firearm suicide attempts to describe the acute stressors, substance use, and mental health conditions related to the attempt. Background: Most firearm deaths in the United States are the result of suicide. Because firearm suicide attempts have a case fatality rate of approximately 90%, little is known about […]

Alcohol use disorder and risk of specific methods of suicide death in a national cohort

Introduction Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is among the strongest correlates of suicide death, but it is unclear whether AUD status is differentially associated with risk of suicide by particular methods. Methods The authors used competing risks models to evaluate the association between AUD status and risk of suicide by poisoning, suffocation, drowning, firearm, instruments, jumping, […]

Suicide among Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander veterans: Rates and methods, 2005-2019

Introduction Knowledge of suicide rates and methods among Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Veterans remains sparse. Age- and sex-specific suicide rates, methods, and trends were examined among AANHPI Veterans and were compared with findings reported for all Veterans. Methods For this population-based retrospective cohort study, average annual suicide rates (2005–2019) were computed […]

Self-harm by nurses and midwives: A study of hospital presentations

Background: Nursing professionals are an occupational group at increased risk of suicide, but little is known about self-harm in this population. Aims: To investigate the characteristics of nurses and midwives who present to hospital following self-harm. Method: We used data from the Oxford Monitoring System for Self-Harm to identify nurses and midwives who presented to the general hospital […]

Suicide methods in Slovenia: Characteristics and time trends 2001-2020

Background: Between 2001 and 2020, Slovenia lost 8,952 lives due to suicides, two thirds of them by hanging. Aim: To analyze trends in suicide methods between 2001 and 2020 and to explore relationships between suicide methods and selected sociodemographic characteristic. Methods: We focused on methods accounting for 95.7% of all suicides. We performed joinpoint regression to examine changes in suicide […]

Stability in the choice of method during the period preceding a suicide attempt and in attempt repeaters

Background and Objectives: Understanding the mental processes preceding a suicidal act is important for the potential to intervene. This study investigates stability and possible changes of suicide methods considered during the time immediately preceding a suicide attempt. Methods: Patients who had attempted suicide were interviewed shortly thereafter with regard to whether there was a change […]

Suicide trends in Denmark: An ecological study exploring suicide methods from 1995 to 2019

Suicide is a major public health problem and complex phenomenon, affecting many people around the world. However, the incidence of suicide varies by sex and age, which includes differences in the means used. Therefore, to implement effective preventative interventions, it is important to study these differences to design effective, preventative interventions. This study investigates the […]

Examining predictors of suicide by firearm in young, middle, and late adulthood

Introduction Suicide remains a leading cause of death in the U.S., and firearms are one of the most lethal methods of suicide. This study examines personal and contextual factors that predict suicide with a firearm compared to other methods across stages of adulthood. Methods Data on adult suicide decedents from 2009 to 2019 were obtained […]

Analysis of suicides in the catchment area of the Institute of Forensic Medicine, University of Zurich Switzerland

Background and objective Suicide has a profound impact on both the affected families and society at large. Among young adults it even ranks as the fourth leading cause of death. Therefore, analysis of suicides is crucial for enhancing prevention strategies. This study aims to (I) investigate sex and age differences, (II) differences in methods and (III) locations (urban vs. […]

Suicide victims and alcohol‑related consumption in Brazil: An observational study and a narrative review of the literature

Deaths due to external causes, mainly suicide, are a severe public health problem in Brazil. Evidence shows that the tendency to impulsive behavior is exacerbated after alcohol consumption. The relationship between alcohol and suicide is poorly described in the medical literature. The study aims to analyze the relationship between victims’ blood alcohol levels and suicides […]

Suicide trends in Denmark: An ecological study exploring suicide methods from 1995 to 2019

Suicide is a major public health problem and complex phenomenon, affecting many people around the world. However, the incidence of suicide varies by sex and age, which includes differences in the means used. Therefore, to implement effective preventative interventions, it is important to study these differences to design effective, preventative interventions. This study investigates the […]

Suicide attempt by hanging: A study on patients admitted in tertiary care hospital in eastern India

Background: Suicide is defined as a fatal self-injurious act with some evidence of intent to die. Despite the evolution of sophisticated methods to commit suicide, hanging remains one of the commonest methods to commit suicide across the world. To evaluate the individuals using hanging as a method of suicide and identify the contributing factors for […]

Stakeholder perceptions of lethal means safety counseling: A qualitative systematic review

Introduction: Lethal means safety counseling (LMSC) is an evidence-based suicide prevention intervention during which providers encourage patients to limit their access to lethal means (e.g., firearms, medications). Despite agreement about the importance of LMSC, it is underutilized in clinical practice. Methods: To better understand the individual and contextual factors that influence LMSC and its implementation, we conducted […]

Gender differential in the choice of methods of dying by suicide in Southwest Nigeria

Background: The choice of method of dying by suicide can determine the lethality of a suicide attempt, especially among males and females. However, a less attention has been paid to this area of research among Nigerian authors. Objective: The objectives of this study were to investigate the distribution of completed suicide across methods of suicide […]

Comparison of all completed suicides in Frankfurt am Main (Hessen) before and during the early COVID‑19 pandemic

To research the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health, the prevalence and characteristics of all completed suicides in the city of Frankfurt am Main were compared for a 10-month period before the pandemic (March 2019-December 2019) with one during the early pandemic (March 2020-December 2020). Medicolegal data collected in the context of the […]

Trends in method‑specific suicide in Brazil from 2000 to 2017

Purpose: Understanding long-term patterns of suicide methods can inform public health policy and prevention strategies. In Brazil, firearm-related policies may be one salient target for suicide prevention. This study describes trends in method-specific suicide at the national and state-levels in Brazil, with a particular focus on firearm-related suicides. Methods: Brazilian mortality data for suicide and undetermined intent […]

Practical capability among veterinarians: Preliminary evidence of the importance of access to lethal medications in the workplace

Objective: Veterinarians die by suicide at elevated rates. Higher levels of capability for suicide among veterinarians, including access to lethal medications, may account for this discrepancy. This study aimed to determine the importance of accessibility of lethal medications in veterinary workplaces in the relationship between recent suicidal ideation and perceived likelihood of making a future suicide […]

Firearm possession rates in home countries and firearm suicide rates among US- and foreign-born suicide decedents in the United States: Analysis of combined data from the National Violent Death Reporting System and the Small Arms Survey

Background: Suicide by firearms is a serious public health issue in the United States. However, little research has been conducted on the relationship between cultural backgrounds and suicide by firearms, specifically in those born and raised in the United States compared to those who have immigrated to the United States. Objective: To better understand the […]

An exploratory analysis of the factors influencing the decision to use poisoning as a suicide method and awareness of potential health risks: A qualitative study

Background: Self-poisoning, a method often chosen for near-fatal suicide attempts, substantially increases the risk of eventual suicide and necessitates hospitalization due to chemical-induced health impairment. However, there is a dearth of studies investigating the choice of self-poisoning in near-fatal suicide attempts and the cognizance of potential non-lethal risks. Objective: The present study aims to explore the factors […]

Are people who die by intentional medication poisoning dispensed those medications in the year prior to death?

Objective: The rate of suicidal poisoning in the United States has increased substantially over the past 20 years. Understanding whether prescription medications used for self-poisoning were recently dispensed would help inform suicide prevention efforts. Alternatively, medications for self-poisoning could have been formerly dispensed or collected from friends, family, or illicit sources. Methods: Among those who died by […]

Suicidal intent and method of self-harm: A large-scale study of self-harm patients presenting to a general hospital

Data from the Oxford Monitoring System for Attempted Suicide (2004-2011) were used to study hospital presentations for self-harm in which Suicidal Intent Scale (SIS) scores were obtained (N = 4,840). Regression of medians was used to control for the confounding effect of age and gender. Higher estimated median SIS scores were associated with increasing age, […]

Factors prompting and deterring suicides on the roads

Background In addition to the devastating impact on the individual and their families, suicides on the roads can cause distress and harm to other people who might be involved in a collision or witness an attempt. Despite an increased focus on the characteristics and circumstances of road-related suicides, little is known about why people choose […]

The rate of fatality and demographic characteristics associated with various suicide methods: A community-based study in Northern Taiwan

Background: Understanding lethality and risk factors of suicide methods is an initial step in suicide prevention. Aims: To investigate the fatality rate and demographic characteristics of various suicide methods. Method: This study enrolled consecutive individuals with episodes of suicide attempts registered in a surveillance database in a city with a high rate of suicide mortality in Taiwan, from […]