NCJ Number
216727
Journal
American Journal of Public Health Volume: 96 Issue: 10 Dated: October 2006 Pages: 1794-1798
Date Published
October 2006
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This study examined the characteristics of Black and White suicide decedents between 1988 and 2002 in Fulton County, GA.
Abstract
Results indicated that 57 percent of the suicide decedents in Fulton Country were reported to have suffered from depression. Another 26 percent of suicides may have been caused by relationship problems. Black suicide decedents were less likely to have reported depression or money problems when compared to their White counterparts. Black suicide decedents were also less likely than White suicide decedents to have been under psychiatric care, have a chronic disease, have substance abuse problems, and have a history of family suicide. Black suicide decedents were more likely than White suicide decedents to be male, young, and to hurt others in a suicide. The findings are important to suicide prevention practitioners because they show that Black suicide decedents are unlikely to report or seek treatment for depression prior to their suicide attempt. Data on suicides that occurred in Fulton County, GA during the period 1988 through 2002 were drawn from the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office. Chi-square tests and logistic regression analyses were used to explore the relationship between suicide risk factors and race. Future research should explore whether risk factors for Black and White suicide decedents become similar as the suicide rates for Blacks and Whites become more similar. Tables, figures, references