Search

Objective: The aim of this work is to examine suicide intent disclosures to identify patterns to support an improved understanding of the impetus for suicidal behavior in late life, which may offer insight useful in aiding prevention efforts., Methods: Using restricted access data from the National Violent Death Reporting System for years 2016-2018, we conducted qualitative content analysis of included narrative descriptions of 2,969 cases in which the decedent was aged 65 years or older and disclosed their intent to die by suicide., Results: The majority of suicide intent disclosures were direct statements of intent to die by suicide (37.19%), followed by a smaller proportion of indirect (implied) statements (25.29%). When response of disclosure recipient was described, such disclosures were frequently dismissed as insincere. Uncontrolled or chronic pain was cited by 11.62% of decedents as the rationale for suicide., Conclusion: Findings from this work suggest the content of suicide intent disclosures may vary considerably but demonstrate consistent patterns. Dismissal of such disclosures is a common response, likely due to inability to assess sincerity. Given the high rate of lethality among suicide attempts in late life, any intent disclosures should be critically evaluated.

Objective: Participation in college athletics has traditionally been presumed to counter poor mental health outcomes including death by suicide. While previously reported incidents generally involve male football players, recent incidents suggest changing trends in frequency, sport, and sex. This research aims to summarize the breadth and limitations of existing research on death by suicide among U.S. collegiate student-athletes. Participants and Methods: This scoping review followed Joanna Briggs Institute guidance. A final sample of 19 research studies were identified through a comprehensive search including APA PsychINFO, PubMed, MEDLINE Complete, SPORTDiscus, and CINAHL databases and Gray Literature sources. Results: Most studied outcomes were suicidal ideation and attempt. Research on assessment of suicide prevention interventions for student-athletes is lacking. Conclusions: The paucity of research found on suicidal behaviors among collegiate student-athletes, including a lack of intervention research, in conjunction with recent trends suggest the need for a renewed focus on this topic.