title: Cluster hanging suicides in the young in South Australia.
abstract: Retrospective review of hanging suicides in individuals aged ≤ 17 years was undertaken at Forensic Science South Australia, Australia, over two 5-year periods: 1995-1999 and 2005-2009. Seven cases of hanging suicides were identified from 1995 to 1999, with a further 14 cases from 2005 to 2009, an increase of 100% (p < 0.001). Hanging accounted for 33.3% of all suicides in this age group (7/21) from 1995 to 1999, compared with 93.3% of the total number of suicides (14/15) in the second 5-year period. In contrast, Australian national data from 1998 and 2008 showed a 30% decrease in hanging suicides in the young, from one case/100,000 population in 1998 to 0.7 in 2008. Cluster suicides occur in the young and are often initiated by direct communication. As it is possible that Internet-based social sites may facilitate this phenomenon, investigations should include an evaluation of the victim's Internet access given the potential risk of similar actions by peers.
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Anatomy and Pathology, The University of Adelaide, Frome Rd, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia.
authors.forename: Amy E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Austin
authors.forename: Corinna
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: van den Heuvel
authors.forename: Roger W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Byard
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D001237:Asphyxia / Q000401:mortality*; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002186:Cannabinoids / Q000097:blood; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D000431:Ethanol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005554:Forensic Medicine; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008399:Mass Behavior; D019838:Neck Injuries / Q000401:mortality*; D010379:Peer Group; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
chemical_list: D002186:Cannabinoids; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D000431:Ethanol