title: Analysis of suspected suicides using poison center data.
abstract: Although there has been extensive research into the epidemiology and prevention of suicide, there continues to be a paucity of research on non-fatal suicides, in particular persons not treated in hospitals following a suicide attempt. In this study, we analyzed call data from the Illinois Poison Center from 2002 to 2007, which primarily comprises of non-fatal hospitalized and non-hospitalized attempts. We analyzed 43,057 calls by persons suspected of attempting suicide. The three most common groups of substances used were analgesics, antidepressants, and sedative/hypnotics/antipsychotics. The Poisson regression model showed significant declines in calls for suspected suicides during periods of holidays and vacations, and was more pronounced among youths. This study provides a current and detailed description of substances used primarily in non-fatal suicide attempts.
authors.affiliation: University of Illinois, School of Public Health, Division of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Shile
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Lee S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Friedman
mesh_terms: D000700:Analgesics / Q000506:poisoning; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000506:poisoning; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000506:poisoning; D002491:Central Nervous System Agents / Q000506:poisoning*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000506:poisoning; D008297:Male; D011039:Poison Control Centers / Q000592:standards*; D011041:Poisoning / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016012:Poisson Distribution; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D002491:Central Nervous System Agents; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives