Resource Tag: UNITED STATES. MARYLAND

In Washington County, Maryland, ownership of cats &/or dogs was compared among 48 residents who died by suicide in the years 1975-83 & 96 living controls matched by ethnicity, gender, & date of birth. Another comparison used persons of the same ethnicity, gender, & age who died of other causes in the same year as […]

This article is comprised of 5 sections: the Finnish National Strategy; Geriatric Suicide Prevention in Italy; Youth Suicide Prevention: Washington State; Maryland Hosts 10th Annual Youth Suicide Prevention Conference; & Youth Suicide Prevention in British Columbia. The sections describe several suicide prevention strategies & hypothesize how certain approaches (such as a ‘before the fact’ approach) […]

The present study compared pregnant drug-dependent women reporting homelessness or being domiciled at treatment enrollment on initial psychosocial functioning & subsequent drug treatment outcome. Homeless women had greater rates of psychiatric problems including suicidality & higher rates of physical, emotional & sexual abuse than their domiciled counterparts. Further findings & implications are discussed. (18 refs)

The present study compared psychiatric & psychosocial functioning in 123 pregnant opiate- &/or cocaine-dependent women with & without a comorbid diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Participants with PTSD reported greater need for psychiatric treatment, were more likely to report a previous suicide attmept, & had more previous drug treatments than participants without PTSD. The […]

The objectives of this study were: 1) to determine the lifetime, last year, & 6-month prevalence & demographic correlates of suicidal behavior in a defined population of urban African American young adults; 2) to determine the degree of mental health service utilization among attempters; 3) to study the comorbidity between mental disorders & suicidal behavior; […]

A chart review was done in 3 community mental health centres & an emergency room to compare psychiatric diagnoses given to youths as outpatients with those they had previously received as inpatients. 63% of 54 admissions were due to suicidal ideation or threats. Major disparities were found between the 2 sets of diagnoses. A profound […]

Based on a 12-year follow-up study in Maryland, suicide mortality in a cohort of 6266 white married & 3486 white widowed persons was examined. Suicide rates were 28.7 per 100,000 for the married & 40.4 for the widowed. This article discusses the interaction effect between bereavement & sex. Risk of suicide for widowed men was […]

The prevalence of DSM-III personality disorders was estimated in a sample of 810 adults. The comorbidity & potential consequences of these disorders were also investigated. Semi-structured interviews were used. The prevalence of personality disorders was 5.9%. Men had higher rates than women, & subjects who were separated or divorced had the highest rates. Subjects with […]

This article describes a successful team response to a student suicide in Maryland. The Crisis Support Plan uses 2 separate crisis support teams. Additional trained professionals are provided by the County recognizing that many times, the guidance staff alone cannot meet the immediate needs of students & staff. 48 students were seen individually or in […]

This article reports on a study of 810 subjects drawn from a probability sample of eastern Baltimore residents in 1981. 5.9% of the population was found to be significantly depressed. DSM-III major depression had a prevalence of 1.1%. Non-major depression, (term for other depressive disorder categories) had a prevalence of 3.4%. Differences between these two […]

This brief article discusses the demography, recommendationa, & conclusions of a study of prison suicides in Maryland. The suicide rate is highest for white, 25-34 year olds, committing personal offences, housed in maximum security institutions. Hanging is the most common method. Recommendations include: suicide risk assessment for all incoming inmates & preventive intervention for long-term […]

A statistically oriented analysis of factors associated with suicide using data from Maryland residents. Univariate analysis showed that the relationships between suicide & age, race, sex, & marital status are consistent with those in the literature. No significant relationship appeared to exist between month of death & suicide. During multivariate analysis the discriminate function correctly […]

A study of long-term prisoners in the Maryland prison system between 1979-1987 was conducted to determine risk factors & to compare rates of suicide for inmates & the state population. The inmate suicide rate is significantly higher than age- & ethnicity-adjusted rates for males in the general population. Some risk factors for inmates are being […]

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The Task Force on Youth Suicide convened a conference on Risk Factors for Youth Suicide in May 1986, in Bethesda, Maryland. This article highlights points the presenters made which were either not discussed completely at the conference of could benefit from further emphasis. Some of the points deal with prepatory & prior suicidal behavior, social […]

Dr. Perlin believes that the decision to establish & maintain a Suicide Register must be preceded by or be part of the development of a suicide prevention centre. The register could be an asset for the centre in providing information needed for prevention planning. He discusses the Maryland Psychiatric Case Register, which he feels could […]

This interview with Chester W. Schmidt, Jr., M.D., a psychiatrist with a special interest in suicide, covers a wide range of topics including causation, legality, the right-to-die opinion, prediction, treatment & prevention of suicide. (2 ref.) (NBB)

An attempt was made to identify background, sociodemographic and clinical variables which are associated with attempted suicide in depression. Within a sample of 308 depressed psychiatric inpatients, suicide attempters were younger than non-attempters and were identified by a pattern of chronic interpersonal maladjustment reflected clinically in withdrawal from social contact and the display of hostility […]

During the initial 2 years of a suicide prevention program located in a university hospital, 65 adolescents who attempted suicide were identified & evaluated. Among characteristics observed in the suicidal adolescent were long term family disruption, social isolation, & academic difficulties. In comparison to controls, suicidal adolescents also had a higher rate of minimal brain […]

The subjects of this prospective study were 1337 male former medical students registered in classes graduating in 1948-64. A family attitude questionnaire indicated a lack of closeness to parents by the future cancer group, compared with the healthy group. Family attitudes of the future mental illness/suicide group resembled those of the cancer group, while those […]