NCJ Number
246603
Journal
Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 59 Issue: 2 Dated: March 2014 Pages: 436-440
Date Published
March 2014
Length
5 pages
Annotation
Alcohol and substance abuse in general is a risk factor for suicide, but very little is known about the acute effect in relation to suicide method.
Abstract
Alcohol and substance abuse in general is a risk factor for suicide, but very little is known about the acute effect in relation to suicide method. Based on information from 18,894 medico-legal death investigations, including toxicological findings and manner of death, did the present study investigate whether acute influence of alcohol, tetrahydrocannabinol THC, or central stimulants amphetamine and cocaine was related to the use of a violent suicide method, in comparison with the nonviolent method self-poisoning and alcohol-/illicit drug-negative suicide decedents. Multivariate analysis was conducted, and the results revealed that acute influence of THC was related to using the violent suicide method-- jumping from a height RR 1.62; 95% CI 1.01-2.41. Alcohol intoxication was not related to any violent method, while the central stimulant-positive suicide decedent had a higher, albeit not significant, risk of several violent methods. The study contributes with elucidating suicide methods in relation to acute intoxication. Abstract published by arrangement with Wiley.