Year: 2009 Source: BMC Psychiatry, v.9, article no.10, (March 2009), p.1-10 SIEC No: 20090001

This cross-sectional mortality study uses data from Multiple Cause-of-Death public use files for 1999-2003 to describe & evaluate comorbidity among black, Hispanic, & white suicides. Unintentional injury decedents are the referent for multivariate analysis. One of more mentions of comorbid psychopathology are documented on the death certificates of 8% of white male suicides compared to 4% & 3% of black & Hispanic counterparts, respectively. Correspondingly female figures are 10%, 8%, & 6%. Racial-ethnic discrepancies in the prevalence of comorbid physical disease are more attenuated. Results underscore the need for training in death certification & routinization & standardization of timely psychological autopsies in all cases of suicide, suspected suicide, & other traumatic deaths of equivoal cause. (57 refs.)