Epidemiological and follow-back study of suicides in Alaska
| Autor: | Marcia Howell, Ron Perkins, Teri L. Sanddal, Alan L. Berman, Nels D. Sanddal |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 2009 |
| Předmět: |
Gerontology
Adult Male medicine.medical_specialty Health (social science) Epidemiology Population Poison control Suicide prevention Occupational safety and health 03 medical and health sciences Young Adult suicide follow-back Alaska epidemiology Alaska Native 0302 clinical medicine Injury prevention Medicine Humans 030212 general & internal medicine education health care economics and organizations Aged Aged 80 and over education.field_of_study 030505 public health business.industry Medical examiner Public Health Environmental and Occupational Health Human factors and ergonomics social sciences General Medicine Middle Aged Suicide population characteristics Female 0305 other medical science business Alaska Demography |
| Zdroj: | International Journal of Circumpolar Health; Vol 68, No 3 (2009) |
| ISSN: | 1239-9736 1797-237X |
| Popis: | Objectives. To conduct an in-depth analysis of all suicides occurring in Alaska between September 1, 2003 and August 31, 2006, and to conduct follow-back interviews with key informants for select cases. Study design. Suicide data were gathered from the Alaska Bureau of Vital Statistics, law enforcement agencies and the Alaska medical examiner’s office. Trained counsellors administered the 302 branching-question follow-back protocol during in-person interviews with key informants about the decedents. Methods. Suicide death certificates, medical examiner’s reports and police files were analysed retrospectively. Key informants were contacted for confidential interviews about the decedents’ life, especially regarding risk and protective factors. Results. There were 426 suicides during the 36-month study period. The suicide rate was 21.4/100,000. Males out-numbered females 4 to 1. The age-group of 20 to 29 had both the greatest number of suicides and the highest rate per 100,000 population. Alaska Natives had a suicide rate that was three times higher than the non-Native population. Follow-back interviews were conducted with 71 informants for 56 of the suicide decedents. Conclusions. This research adds significant information to our existing knowledge of suicide in Alaska, particularly as it affects the younger age groups among the Alaska Native population and the role of alcohol/drugs. (Int J Circumpolar Health 2009; 68(3):212-223) Keywords: suicide, follow-back, Alaska, epidemiology, Alaska Native |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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