Relationship Between Russian Roulette Deaths and Risk-Taking Behavior: A Controlled Study

A review of medical examiner records yielded data on 19 men & 1 woman who died playing Russian roulette. The men differed significantly from 95 male suicide victims who died of gunshot wounds to the head on several variables. Russian roulette victims were significantly less likely to die in the bedroom, die in the morning, leave a suicide note & be depressed but were significantly more likely to have alcohol or drugs in their body & to have a previous history of drug & alcohol abuse. (23 refs.)