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Suicide and undetermined death by drowning.
1Liverpool University, 5 Boroughs Partnership Trust, Warrington, UK.
International Journal of Psychiatry in Clinical Practice
|June 17, 2014
Summary
Drowning deaths significantly decreased in England and Wales from 1979-2001, but elderly suicide rates by drowning showed little decline. Misclassification of undetermined drowning deaths may skew suicide statistics.
Area of Science:
- Forensic pathology
- Public health
- Mortality statistics
Background:
- Drowning incidence varies geographically, and determining the manner of death can be challenging.
- Misclassification of drowning deaths may lead to inaccurate reporting of suicide rates.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze time trends and age/sex mortality rates for drowning deaths in England and Wales (1979-2001).
- To examine coroners' verdicts for drowning deaths, specifically suicide and undetermined intent.
Main Methods:
- Utilized National Statistics (ONS) data on suicide (ICD 9; E954) and undetermined injury deaths (E984) from 1979-2001.
- Calculated age-specific and age-standardized drowning mortality rates using national population estimates.
Main Results:
- A significant reduction in overall drowning deaths was observed over 23 years.
- The decline in drowning suicide was less pronounced in individuals over 75.
- Elderly individuals and women were more likely to receive suicide verdicts for drowning deaths.
Conclusions:
- High rates of open verdicts in drowning deaths highlight diagnostic challenges.
- Combining undetermined drowning deaths with suicides can inflate and misrepresent suicidal drowning trends.