Trends in Adult Suicides in New Mexico: Utilizing Data from the New Mexico Violent Death Reporting System*

Abstract

Although many suicide prevention programs focus on youth suicides, data indicate the vast majority of suicides occur among adults (18-64 years). In 2005 New Mexico joined the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Violent Death Reporting System, collecting data on suicides, homicides, and unintentional firearm fatalities to better inform state and national prevention programs. We utilized data collected by the New Mexico Violent Death Reporting System in its first 2 years of operation (2005 and 2006) in order to define the demographic patterns of adult suicides in the state and characterize risk factors. A total of 526 suicides occurred among adults during this time, with the majority being male (78.5%) and White non-Hispanic (56.7%). The highest incidence was in adults between 45 and 54 years (28.1%). Firearms were the most commonly used mechanism, and "current depressed mood" the most commonly identified risk factor. High rates of adult suicide indicate the need for targeted prevention programs.

The association between exposure to interpersonal violence and suicide among women: a systematic review

“…Five studies 55,56,69,73,74 defined a time period within which IPV was experienced, however none examined the impact this had on suicide risk. Five studies 55,56,69,73,74 defined a time period within which IPV was experienced, however none examined the impact this had on suicide risk.…”

“…Conner et al 84 reported on different forms of violence occurring within the 12 months prior to suicide, while others 69,73,74 reported on violence perpetrated within the month prior to suicide from the Violent Death Reporting System in the US. Conner et al 84 reported on different forms of violence occurring within the 12 months prior to suicide, while others 69,73,74 reported on violence perpetrated within the month prior to suicide from the Violent Death Reporting System in the US.…”

“…Further case-control studies showed that women convicted of violent offences had a three to 45 times increased risk of suicide, depending on the number of violent offences of which they had been convicted. 55,56,69,73,74,84 and all of these limited themselves to the 12-months prior to death. These studies primarily reported associations regarding physical violence, as no studies had large enough sample sizes of female sexual offenders to study this separately.…”

“…The role that the temporal proximity of exposure to IPV plays in suicide risk was not routinely examined. Five studies 55,56,69,73,74 defined a time period within which IPV was experienced, however none examined the impact this had on suicide risk.…”

“…More than half the studies did not report on the temporal proximity of violence to death by suicide, and of those that did, none examined the impact this had on the final outcome. Conner et al 84 reported on different forms of violence occurring within the 12 months prior to suicide, while others 69,73,74 reported on violence perpetrated within the month prior to suicide from the Violent Death Reporting System in the US.…”