Preliminary Findings of Noncompliance With Psychotropic Medication and Prevalence of Methamphetamine Intoxication Associated With Suicide Completion

A study of medical examiners records was used to identify potential precipitating factors in the decision to die by suicide. This forensic data was used for a subset of suicide victims in Utah between 1996 & 2002. The results of this study show that these youth appeared to be undiagnosed for mental illness or to be noncompliant with psychotropic medications. Further investigation is needed to explain why the prevalence of methamphetamine is unexpectedly higher in those who die by suicide. (LC) (18 refs)