A Comparison of Suicides and Undetermined Deaths by Poisoning among Women: An Analysis of the National Violent Death Reporting System

Abstract

The study compared the prevalence of common suicide risk factors between poisoning deaths classified as injuries of undetermined intent or suicides among women. Data were derived from the 2003–10 National Violent Death Reporting System. Multiple logistic regression assessed the factors associated with 799 undetermined deaths (relative to 3,233 suicides). Female decedents with lower education, a substance use problem, and a health problem were more likely to be classified as undetermined death. Older women, those with an intimate partner problem, financial problem, depressed mood, mental health problem, attempted suicide, and disclosed intent to die were less likely to be classified as undetermined death. The present study raises the possibility that many (perhaps most) undetermined female poisoning deaths are suicides.

Keywords:

• medico-legal investigation
• National Violent Death Reporting System
• poisoning
• suicide
• undetermined death
• women