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This study compared violent death information reported in state-wide newspaper articles to the medical examiner reports collected for a state public health surveillance system-the National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS). While suicides accounted for 83% of deaths in the NVDRS database, more than three-quarters (79%) of violent deaths reported in newspaper articles were homicides. The majority of the suicide incidents were reported in 1-2 newspaper articles whereas the majority of homicide incidents were reported in 11-34 articles. For suicide incidents, the NVDRS reported more circumstances related to mental health problems while newspaper articles reported recent crisis more often. Results show that there is a mismatch in both frequency and type of information reported between a public health surveillance system (NVDRS) and newspaper reporting of violent deaths. As a result of these findings, scientists and other public health professionals may want to engage in media advocacy to provide newspaper reporters with timely and important health information related to the prevention and intervention of violent deaths in their community., (Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Suicide is a major public health problem for American Indians in the United States. Published studies indicate that American Indians experience the highest rate of suicide of all ethnic groups in the United States. This article synthesizes the epidemiology and risk factors associated with suicide among American Indians, barriers to research, prevention, mental-health services, and recommendations for research and practice. The authors' recommendations arise from the current literature as well as interviews with practitioners and academics in the field of suicide prevention. The authors present significant substantive and methodological issues that inform research on suicide in American Indian communities, as well as existing contemporary interventions. Overall, socioeconomic characteristics, substance abuse, barriers to mental health services and acculturation play a role in the occurrence of suicide in American Indian communities. These findings suggest suicide is an important public health problem that needs to be addressed for American Indians.

This study used linked, official data for population-based surveillance of homicides, suicides, and homicide-suicides in four U.S. states and four counties. Among 1,503 homicide incidents, less than 5% (n = 74) were followed by the perpetrator's suicide and 1% (n = 18) by a nonfatal suicide attempt. However, among men who killed their female intimate partner with a firearm, 59% also took their own life. Homicide-suicide perpetrators did not test positive for an antidepressant more often than other male suicide decedents (15% vs. 19%). Most (54%) perpetrators of nonfirearm homicides who attempted suicide lived; nearly all (93%) firearm perpetrators who attempted suicide died. Among men who killed their female intimate partner with a firearm, homicide-suicide was the norm. Better enforcement of existing laws designed to protect abuse victims by removing firearms from domestic abusers may also prevent abusers' suicides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study compared information gathered from medical examiner reports to information gathered from law enforcement reports in characterizing incidents of homicide and homicide followed by suicide that were abstracted for a public health violent-death surveillance system. The authors found that law enforcement reports contribute substantively to the surveillance system and often augment or provide additional information to the medical examiner reports. The utility of law enforcement data, particularly the narrative information, must be balanced with the time needed to gather the law enforcement reports and funding limitations. As violent-death surveillance needs grow, linking police and other law enforcement data with medical examiner and other public health data sources will provide a clearer picture of the circumstances relating to homicide and other violent deaths at the state and national level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]