The Choice of Weapons: A Study of Methods of Suicide by Sex, Race, and Region

Taylor, Maurice; Wicks, Jerry W.

doi:10.1111/j.1943-278x.1980.tb00773.x

Cited by 19 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…The results of this study are consistent with previous findings on the epidemiology of methods of suicide: for example, nonwhite suicides are more likely than white suicides to have been jumps from a height (Lester, Beck, & Bruno, 1976;Morris, Kovacs, Beck, & Wolffe, 1974;National Center for Health Statistics, 1985Swanson & Breed, 1976;Taylor & Wicks, 1980;Warshauer & Monk, 1978), and that a higher proportion of subjects with a psychiatric history (especially schizophrenia) than of other suicides had jumped (Cantor & Hill, 1990;Roy, 1982). Also as expected (Marks, 1977), women were more likely than men to have committed suicide by ingestion while men were more likely than women to have shot themselves.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

Characteristics of Completed Suicides: Implications of Differences Among Methods

Fischer,

Comstock,

Monk

et al. 1993

Suicide & Life Threat Behav

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Approximately 30% of suicides in New York City are the result of jumping from a height. After describing jumping suicides and jumping sites, we used polychotomous logistic regression to compare the characteristics of suicides by jumping to those of individuals committing suicide by hanging, ingestion, or shooting. Method used was significantly associated with sociodemographics, occupation, and mental health status, even after adjustment for individual access to the means of committing suicide. Our finding of an independent association between personal characteristics and method used provides strong evidence for the hypothesis that controlling access to an agent of suicide can influence overall suicide rates, at least in the short term. Study results support the introduction of preventive programs to control access to commonly employed agents of suicide.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

Characteristics of Completed Suicides: Implications of Differences Among Methods

Fischer,

Comstock,

Monk

et al. 1993

Suicide & Life Threat Behav

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“…Firearms are a suicide method of high (Seiden, 1977) or the highest (Card, 1974) lethality. There is increasing availability of firearms, ease of purchase, as well as a growing acceptance of firearm ownership and familiarity (Boor, 1981; Frederick, 1978; Seiden & Freitas, 1980; Taylor & Wicks, 1980). Others (Marks, 1977; Marks & Abernathy, 1974) have even suggested that firearms are the most socially acceptable method of suicide, particularly for males.…”

Section: Suicide Methods Trends and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition to racial and sexual differences in suicide method choice, most studies have compared regions of the nation or specific geographic locations, such as states or cities. These data have usually represented only a few or selected years (French & Wailes, 1980; Marks & Abernathy, 1974; Swanson & Breed, 1976; Taylor & Wicks, 1980). Boor (1981), however, surveyed national data from 1962‐1975 and noted differences in methods between whites and nonwhites.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Changing Patterns in Methods of Suicide by Race and Sex

McIntosh

Santos

1982

Suicide & Life Threat Behav

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Suicide rates vary greatly by sex and race but the methods employed by these groups and changes in those methods have been studied neither closely nor systematically across time. In the present study annual official national statistics for specific methods of suicide by sex and racial group from 1923 to 1978 were examined. During this time period shifts were found among groups in the proportions of various suicide methods employed, most notably for women and Asian-Americans. Generally, firearm use increased among nearly all ethnic/racial-sex groups while the use of poisons declined. Although women continue to be more likely than men to kill themselves with solid and liquid poisons, in very recent years firearms have become a more common method. Among Japanese- and Chinese-Americans of both sexes the most frequently employed method has been hanging. Although this is still the case, the proportions have declined over time while the use of firearms has increased. Explanations are offered for the noted changes in method choice with particular attention being given to acculturation and changing societal roles.

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“…Studies of the general population have shown repeatedly that there are significant gender differences in methods employed for suicide, with males more likely to employ violent methods such as shooting and hanging, and females more likely to employ non‐violent methods such as poisoning with drugs or carbon monoxide (CO) (Stengel 1975; Taylor & Wicks 1980; Moscicki & Santos 1982; Rich et al . 1988; Cantor & Lewin 1990; Hassan 1995; Beautrais et al .…”

Section: Heroin Use and Methods Of Suicidementioning

confidence: 99%

“…2001). Of particular interest here, poisoning with substances such as drugs constitutes a small minority of male fatalities, but as much as a half of female deaths (Stengel 1975; Taylor & Wicks 1980; Moscicki & Santos 1982; Rich et al . 1988; Cantor & Lewin 1990; Hassan 1995; Beautrais et al .…”

Section: Heroin Use and Methods Of Suicidementioning

confidence: 99%

Suicide among heroin users: rates, risk factors and methods

2002

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The current paper examines critically the literature on suicide rates, suicide risk factors and methods employed for suicide among heroin users, and compares these to those of the general population. Heroin users have a death rate 13 times that of their peers, and deaths among heroin users attributed to suicide range from 3-35%. Overall, heroin users are 14 times more likely than peers to die from suicide. The prevalence of attempted suicide is also many orders of magnitude greater than that of community samples. The major general population risk factors for suicide also apply to heroin users (gender, psychopathology, family dysfunction and social isolation). Heroin users, however, have extremely wide exposure to these factors. They also carry additional risks specifically associated with heroin and other drug use. Drugs as a method of suicide play a larger role in suicide among heroin users than in the general population. Heroin, however, appears to play a relatively small role in suicide among this group. Overall, suicide is a major clinical issue among heroin users. It is concluded that suicide is a major problem that treatment agencies face, and which requires targeted intervention if the rates of suicide among this group are to decline.

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The Choice of Weapons: A Study of Methods of Suicide by Sex, Race, and Region

Cited by 19 publications

References 6 publications

Characteristics of Completed Suicides: Implications of Differences Among Methods

Characteristics of Completed Suicides: Implications of Differences Among Methods

Changing Patterns in Methods of Suicide by Race and Sex

Suicide among heroin users: rates, risk factors and methods

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