HIV Seroprevalence Among Suicide Victims in New York City, 1991-1993

All suicides among New York City residents from 1991-1993 were studied to determine HIV seroprevalence. The crude proportion of all suicides who were HIV seropositive was 0.088 & the demographically adjusted proportion was 0.049. Over 90% of victims were aged 25-54 years & almost 90% were men. Black & Hispanic male suicides age 35-54 had the highest seropositive rates (0.252). Study results suggest that a positive HIV serostatus is associated, at most, with a modest increase in suicide risk.