| OCR Text |
Show factors for suicide and to identify the barriers that may prevent appropriate mental health treatment of high risk youth. Phase III Locate Community Contacts Consent from Community Contacts Interview Community Contacts Types of Community Contacts: • Siblings • Close friends • Employers/co-workers • Clergy • Teachers/school counselors • Medical and mental health professionals • Others Control Groups Some of the data collected on suicide victims will require comparison with other Utah youth to determine their significance. The Juvenile Justice System and the Division of Child and Family Services each have a statewide database, which will be used to form a control group. Results Participation Phase I compliance rates for the four government agencies have been 100% to date. Some of the school records have incomplete data, although efforts have been made to find all of the available data. Phase II consent from next of kin is currently 60%. Phase III participation rates for community contacts is currently 78%. As families were surveyed regarding their emotional reactions to the research process, they have indicated that participation in the study was helpful, not harmful. Appropriate referrals to community support groups or mental heath services have been made, when indicated. This paper only reviews the data from phase I, Office of the Medical Examiner Records have been reviewed on 54 consecutive suicides. Gender ratio was 80% male, 20% female. Sixty percent committed suicide at their residence, 4% at school, and 36% at another location. The method used was most commonly firearms (51%), followed by hanging (26%), poisoning (17%) and "unspecified" (6%) (see graph below). Type of firearm used was classified as handgun (64%), shotgun (14%), rifle (18%), and "not listed" (4%). Toxicology was completed on 94% of subjects. Of 41 non-poisoning deaths with completed toxicology screens (firearm, hanging, or unspecified), eight (20%) had a positive test for alcohol or drugs of abuse. Of nine poisoning deaths (five carbon monoxide, four overdoses) with completed toxicology, three (33%) had a positive test for alcohol or drugs of abuse. In only one case was substance abuse the sole cause of death (heroine overdose). Juvenile Justice System Records have been reviewed on 49 consecutive suicides, with 65% having a record of involvement and 35% having no record. Of those involved in the juvenile justice system, 31% had at least one felony charge. Since referral to Method of Death 17% n=54 51% ¦ firearm ? hanging U poisoning ? unspecified 26% 13 |
