Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the variation between coroners in the verdicts given to deaths thought by researchers to be probable suicides and analyse factors associated with the coroners' verdict. METHODS: Data were collected from 12 English coroner districts on all deaths in 2005 given a suicide, open, accidental or narrative verdict where suicide was considered a possibility. The data were reviewed by three experienced suicide researchers. Regression models were used to investigate factors associated with the coroners' verdict. RESULTS: The researchers classified 593 deaths as suicide, of which 385 (65.4%) received a suicide verdict from the coroner. There was marked variation between coroner districts in the verdicts they gave. The suicide method was associated strongly with the coroners' verdict; deaths from poisoning and drowning were the least likely to be given suicide verdicts. The other factors strongly associated with a coroner's verdict of suicide were: whether a note was left, age over 60 years and being married or widowed compared with being single. CONCLUSION: Coroners vary considerably in the verdicts they give to individuals who probably died by suicide. This may compromise the usefulness of suicide statistics for assessing area differences in rates for public health surveillance.

Original publication

DOI

10.1093/pubmed/fdu024

Type

Journal article

Journal

J Public Health (Oxf)

Publication Date

03/2015

Volume

37

Pages

157 - 165

Keywords

cause of death, classification methods, coroner's verdicts, mortality, risk factors, suicide, Accidents, Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Cause of Death, Child, Coroners and Medical Examiners, Death Certificates, Decision Making, England, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Regression Analysis, Suicide, Young Adult