Resource Tag: UNITED STATES. MASSACHUSETTS

This information pamphlet for parents examines the causes of stress & depression in adolescence, common adolescent behaviour, signs of depression, warning signs of suicide, & discusses what parents can do if their teenagers are depressed or suicidal.

This article describes a 3-year controlled intervention study by the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) underway at 2 Boston area hospitals. It seeks to indentify personal or situational characteristics of suicidal/self-destructive adolescents. The program involves professionally trained outreach workers & health education for service providers & peer leaders. Preliminary findings show a link to […]

Mortality rates were examined for Boston women, aged 15-44, from 1980-1989. There were 1234 deaths; 76 of these were suicides. Mortality was found to be related more directly to the general well-being of young women than to their reproductive status, & many deaths were preventable. African-American/White disparities were most likely linked to social factors. Findings […]

~

This article reports on comparative suicide rates for different confinement institutions in Massachusetts & discusses the significance of findings for debates about ‘importation’ vs ‘deprivation’ explanations of custodial suicide. Study results show few suicides in 3 populations (Addiction Center (1886-1990), Defective Delinquent Department (1922-71) & Treatment Center for Sexually Dangerous Persons) but considerabley higher rates […]

Influences on psychological distress & suicidal thoughts were evaluated in a sample of 218 sheltered homeless adults. Levels of distress & suicidal thoughts were much higher than in the general population. Perceived social support lessened distress & ideation directly & also buffered homeless persons from the distress associated with traumatic experiences. Distress & suicidal thoughts […]

This article reports on a case-control study which examined risk factors for factitious HIV infection, & a survey of hosptials in the Boston area to determine their practices for documenting HIV infection. Conclusions: limitations of current serologic tests for HIV, use of anonymous HIV testing, & recent reports of factitious HIV disease of immune deficiency […]

The theoretical basis for the effectiveness of the services offered by suicide prevention and crisis centres is that a high percentage of sucidal people tend to communicate their intent, directly or indirectly, and are asking for help before attempting suicide. With the increase in telephone crisis services it is of great value to compile and […]

This workshop report covered a business community outreach program designed by the Samaritans of Boston to promote a better understanding of depression & suicide in the context of a declining economic environment. Key structural points of this client-focussed marketing strategy are noted.

This article reports on suicides at the Bridgewater State Hospital in Massachusetts. Results show considerable variation in the suicide rate by historical period, with suicide prior to 1968 found to be a considerably more infrequent event. These differences are discussed. The results strongly suggest that forensic hospital populations have suicide rates broadly comparable to other […]

Data were collected on 177 consecutive cases of drug overdoses evaluated in an emergency department over a 3-month period. 66% of the subjects admitted that they were trying to either kill or harm themselves while 18% stated that their intent was to get high. Although the short-term recidivism rate was low, the escalating trend towards […]

Poisoning-related deaths in Massachusetts from 1986-87 were analyzed in 3 datasets: poison centre records, death certificates & medical examiner’s office records. Results showed only 17% concordance between the 3 datasets leading the authors to conclude that reliance on a single data source underestimates & potentially misrepresents both the numbers & types of poisoning deaths. Findings […]

This article begins with a literature review of studies on adolescents & depression. Then, the authors present a study in which over a 1000 Boston high school students were interviewed. Measures of 13 mental health problem areas are presented, including: depression, eating disorders, anxiety, hostility, suicidal thoughts, psychosomatic symptoms, drinking, drug use, deliquent behaviors, school […]

This pamphlet describes a Massachusetts support group for those who have lost a loved one through suicide. The pamphlet describes the stigma, guilt, shame, & anger felt by those left behind. The program durates 8 weeks.(VM)

This study examined the methods used by young adults & adolescents who had attempted suicide. Lethality ratings were evalated, as well as the circumstances surrounding the attempt. The authors found the lethality of attempts was higher among males than females in the 1970s, but the seriousness of attempts was fairly equal between male & female […]

Analyzed poisoning-related hospitalization & mortality rates among older adults living in Massachusetts during 1983-85. While poisoning-related hospitalization rates of individuals greater than or equal to 60 yrs of age were near the state average, death rates for men greater than or equal to 70 yrs & for women over 60 were higher than those of […]

87,022 children & adolescents were monitored for 3 yrs; 736 met the study criteria for intentional injuries. These included 8 deaths, 207 hospital admissions & 521 emergency room visits. Overall, 1 in 130 children was treated each yr for an intentional injury; 11.4% were self-inflicted. The rate of intentional injury was directly correlated with both […]

This article describes the life & suicide of poet, Anne Sexton (1928-1974). She had an unhappy childhood, with an alcoholic father & a withdrawn mother. She was under psychiatric care for much of her life; in fact, she began writing poetry partly on her psychiatrist’s advice for therapeutic purposes. She was married in 1948 & […]

Voluntary & involuntary patients admitted to the Massachusetts State hospital system were compared. Legal status was not associated with chronicity prevalence of psychosis, extent of social ties as measured by marital status & living conditions or the need for more seclusion or restraint. The median length of stay was much longer for voluntary patients. These […]

Mortality experience from 1915-1975 is examined in 5655 Boston firefighters to examine patterns for cardiovascular, respiratory & malignant diseases. The investigation showed a low suicide rate, an increased risk of accidental death, & no evidence of an increased number of deaths from cardiovascular disease or malignancy. There does not appear to be a strong association […]

Briefly discusses a study of 50 cases of attempted or completed suicide in subways. The study suggests that those who attempt suicide in subways want to have witnesses & /or press coverage.