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Preventing suicide by jumping: the effect of a bridge safety fence
1Division of State and Local Readiness, Coordinating Office for Terrorism Preparedness and Emergency Response, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. arp1@cdc.gov
Objective:
To evaluate the effect of a bridge safety fence in preventing suicide.
Methods:
We examined suicides from jumping off the Memorial Bridge in Augusta, Maine, from 1 April 1960 to 31 July 2005. The safety fence was installed during 1983, the mid-point of the study period.
Results:
14 suicides from the bridge were identified; all occurred before installation of the safety fence. The number of suicides by jumping from other structures remained unchanged after installation of the fence.
Conclusion:
The safety fence was effective in preventing suicides from the bridge. There was no evidence that suicidal individuals sought alternative sites for jumping.
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