Suicides by persons reported as missing prior to death: a retrospective cohort study

Abstract

ObjectiveA first study to compare suicides by missing persons with other suicide cases.DesignRetrospective cohort study for the period 1994–2007.Geographical locationQueensland, Australia.Population194 suicides by missing persons and 7545 other suicides were identified through the Queensland Suicide Register and the National Coroners Information System.Main outcome measureχ2 statistics and binary logistic regression were used to identify distinct characteristics of suicides by missing persons.ResultsCompared with other suicide cases, missing persons significantly more often died by motor vehicle exhaust gas toxicity (23.7% vs 16.4%; χ2=7.32, p<0.01), jumping from height (6.7% vs 3.2%; χ2=7.08, p<0.01) or drowning (8.2% vs 1.8%; χ2=39.53, p<0.01), but less frequently by hanging (29.4% vs 39.9%; χ2=8.82, p<0.01). They were most frequently located in natural outdoors locations (58.2% vs 11.1%; χ2=388.25, p<0.01). Persons gone missing were less likely to have lived alone at time of death (OR 0.45, 95% CI 0.26 to 0.76), yet more likely to be institutionalised (OR 3.12, 95% CI 1.28 to 7.64). They were less likely to have been physically ill (OR 0.64, 95% CI 0.43 to 0.95) or have a history of problematic consumptions of alcohol (OR 0.52, 95% CI 0.31 to 0.87). In comparison to other suicide cases, missing persons more often communicated their suicidal intent prior to death (OR 1.58, 95% CI 1.13 to 2.22).ConclusionsSuicides by missing persons show several distinct characteristics in comparisons to other suicides. The findings have implications for development of suicide prevention strategies focusing on early identification and interventions targeting this group. In particular, it may offer assistance to police in designing risk assessment procedures and subsequent investigations of missing persons.

Suicide and Associated Vulnerability Indicators in Adult Missing Persons: Implications for the Police Risk Assessment

“…Moreover, Sveticic et al (2012) supported the findings by Gibb & Woolnough (2007) to suggest missing persons at risk of suicide sometimes leave a suicide note. This is also paralleled in other general suicide research, which identified a note to be left in 33 per cent of suicides (Carretta et al, 2015).…”

“…Conversely, a suicide note was only observed in 18 per cent of this study's sample, which is much lower than the 43 per cent ascertained by Sveticic et al (2012). It must be mentioned that the presence of a suicide note was only considered if it had been found at the point when the person was reported missing.…”

“…However, from 2015 to 2016, 599 missing persons were found dead within England and Wales (UK Missing Persons Bureau, 2017), equating to slightly less than one per cent of all missing persons. Newiss (2011) identified that suicide accounted for the largest proportion of all missing persons found dead, resonating other research findings suggesting suicide to be a considerable cause for fatality in missing persons (Foy, 2016;Sveticic, Too, & De Leo, 2012;APPG, 2018). Existing research of missing persons who are found dead as a result of suicide has consistently identified men to be at much higher risk of taking their own life than females, with figures indicating between 70 to 80 per cent are male (Foy, 2016;Biehal Mitchell, & Wade, 2003;Newiss, 2011).…”

“…Some research studies have considered whether the presence of different vulnerabilities or characteristics may be indicative of an individual going missing for the purpose of taking their own life (Newiss, 2011;Sveticic et al, 2012;Foy, 2016;Gibb & Woolnough, 2007). Gibb and Woolnough (2007) supported that there is a strong link between mental illness and suicide, with a variety of life events acting as a trigger for someone going missing with the intention of taking their own life.…”

The utility of medico-legal databases for public health research: a systematic review of peer-reviewed publications using the National Coronial Information System

“…Studies reported that information in the NCIS may be inaccurate due to coding errors [ 61 – 63 ]. Whilst it was noted that the NCIS conducts a data quality program to review and correct information, this cannot be applied to all records [ 64 ].…”