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A Comparison of Suicide and Undetermined Deaths in Psychiatric Patients
Author(s) -
Nuttall Elizabeth A.,
Evenson Richard C.,
Cho Don Won
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
suicide and life‐threatening behavior
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.544
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1943-278X
pISSN - 0363-0234
DOI - 10.1111/j.1943-278x.1980.tb00776.x
Subject(s) - coroner , medical examiner , verdict , psychiatry , suicide prevention , medicine , injury prevention , poison control , occupational safety and health , cause of death , demography , suicide methods , mental health , psychology , medical emergency , disease , suicide rates , law , sociology , political science , pathology
Those people who had previously been patients of the Department of Mental Health of Missouri who died in the three year period 1972 through 1974 and whose deaths were designated as suicide or “undetermined whether purposely or accidentally inflicted,” were identified by matching statewide death tapes against the DMH data base. The demographic characteristics of the two groups are compared to ascertain if the members of the undetermined group are essentially similar to the suicides, as has frequently been hypothesized. It is found that, in general, the similarities are in areas which would not have had a direct influence on the medical examiner/coroner's verdict, whereas, the differences do highlight areas which could cause an indecisive verdict. The significance of the undetermined deaths is discussed.