The Impact of Psychotherapists and Primary Physicians on Suicide and Other Violent Deaths in a Rural Area

A Connecticut area comprising 6 small towns & a city of 14 000 was studied as to their suicidal & other violent death rates over the period 1960-79. As there was a 458% increase in the number of practising psychotherapists & an 82% increase in primary physicians in this period, correlations were made to determine whether this increase in health care professionals diminished the violent death rates. Findings indicated the increased number of professionals did not have a significant impact.