Investigations of Equivocal Suicides

Litman, Robert E.

doi:10.1001/jama.1963.03700250060008

Cited by 161 publications

(82 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…Even if the thoughts leading up to an individual fatal opiate overdose were somehow made known to a person classifying cause of death, ambivalence might preclude a reliable verdict. There has been little attention in the literature to the confound of ambivalence since an early report by Litman et al [13].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Misclassification of Suicide – The Contribution of Opiates

2001

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The reliability of suicide reporting remains a concern. Problems include procedural deficiencies, ambiguous evidence and the determination of intent. In this study, Queensland Suicide Register (QSR) data were compared to the usual official source – the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). QSR deaths were coded as beyond reasonable doubt, probable and possible. These categories were analysed by methods and demographic variables to determine the nature of difficult-to-classify suicides. QSR suicides exceeded ABS especially for females, ages 25–44, and the methods overdose, drowning and ‘other methods’. Opiate overdoses were most difficult to code. Ambiguous circumstantial information and unclear intent were major impediments. Nations witnessing rising rates of deaths due to drug abuse need to monitor undetermined and accidental deaths as well as suicides.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Misclassification of Suicide – The Contribution of Opiates

2001

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“…The definition of suicide was based on the results of medicolegal examination and police investigation as required by Finnish law, but these were more detailed than usual during the research project. All suicides committed in Finland between April 1, 1987, and March 31, 1988, (N=1,397) were carefully examined by using the psychological autopsy method (33,34). Ethical aspects were approved by the National Board of Health and the Ethics Committee of the National Public Health Institute.…”

Section: National Suicide Prevention Project In Finlandmentioning

confidence: 99%

Suicide and schizophrenia: a nationwide psychological autopsy study on age- and sex-specific clinical characteristics of 92 suicide victims with schizophrenia

1997

AJP

247

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T he risk of suicide in schizophrenia is high; it is estimated that 10%-13% of all persons suffering from schizophrenia commit suicide (1). Suicide rates vary among mortality studies, between 147 and 750 per 100,000 persons with schizophrenia per year (2-6). The rate is consistently higher among men than women, but some studies have shown a higher standardized mortality ratio for women (7-9). The prevalence of schizophrenia among unselected persons who committed suicide has varied from 2% to 12% (10-16).Many studies of clinical characteristics of suicide victims with schizophrenia have been compromised by the relatively small numbers of subjects and thus inadequate representation of women for comparisons of the sexes, by the heterogenous diagnostic criteria used, by the frequent selection of the suicide population from hospitals, and by data based only on patient records.Seven studies (17-23) have so far investigated completed suicides among groups of 15 or more suicide victims with DSM-III or DSM-III-R schizophrenia. In these studies young adult age, male sex, and mean illness duration under 10 years have characterized suicide victims with schizophrenia. Some studies, however, have shown an increased rate of suicide mortality over the span of the illness (24). Comorbid depressive symptoms, alcoholism, previous suicide attempts, and communication of suicidal intent have been associated with suicide risk (15,17,(19)(20)(21). These, as well as some physical disorders, have also been found to be associated with suicide in the general population (25). Mental disorders, suicide method, and history of previous suicide attempts have been found to vary with age and sex

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“…All deaths suspected of suicide in Finland during a 12-month period (from April 1, 1987to March 31, 1988 were comprehensively analyzed using the psychological autopsy method, i.e., by informant interviews and by collecting data from different records (Litman et al, 1963). Of all the suspected suicides, 1397 cases were officially classified as suicides, and 61 cases as undetermined deaths.…”

Section: Doto Collectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Adolescent suicides with adjustment disorders or no psychiatric diagnosis

Marttunen

Aro

Henriksson

et al. 1994

European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry

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Detailed characteristics of adolescent suicides (aged 13-19 years) with adjustment disorders (AD) (N=11) or no psychiatric diagnosis (N=3) in a nationwide adolescent suicide population (N=53) from Finland are presented. The data were collected in a psychological autopsy study of all suicides in Finland (N=1397) during a 12-month period in 1987-1988. Data collection included thorough interviews with the victims' family members and professionals, and information from official records. All the suicides with AD or no diagnosis were males. Most of these victims used highly lethal suicide methods. Previous psychiatric treatment and previous suicide attempts were rare. They were seldom under the influence of alcohol when committing suicide. The process leading to suicide seemed to be of relatively short duration. According to informant reports, withdrawn or narcissistic individual characteristics predominated in many cases. Psychosocial stressors preceding suicide often involved interpersonal losses or conflicts. Talking of suicidal intentions prior to the act was common, indicating the need to take seriously all adolescents' expressions of intended suicide, even in the absence of explicit psychopathology.

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Investigations of Equivocal Suicides

Cited by 161 publications

References 6 publications

Misclassification of Suicide – The Contribution of Opiates

Misclassification of Suicide – The Contribution of Opiates

Suicide and schizophrenia: a nationwide psychological autopsy study on age- and sex-specific clinical characteristics of 92 suicide victims with schizophrenia

Adolescent suicides with adjustment disorders or no psychiatric diagnosis

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