Unrecognised self-injury mortality (SIM) trends among racial/ethnic minorities and women in the USA

Authors

Ian R H Rockett, Department of Epidemiology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA, iDepartment of Psychiatry, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, USA,Injury Control Research Center for Suicide Prevention, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, USA
Eric D. Caine, Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, USA
Hilary S. Connery, Division of Alcohol and Drug Abuse, McLean Hospital, Belmont, Massachusetts, USA,,Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Kurt B. Nolte, Office of the Medical Investigator, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
Paul S. Nestadt, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions Campus, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Lewis S. Nelson, Department of Emergency Medicine, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey, USA
Haomiao Jia, Department of Biostatistics, Columbia University, New York, New York, ,USA School of Nursing, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

10-1-2020

Abstract

AIM: To assess whether an enhanced category combining suicides with non-suicide drug self-intoxication fatalities more effectively captures the burden of self-injury mortality (SIM) in the USA among US non-Hispanic black and Hispanic populations and women irrespective of race/ethnicity.

METHODS: This observational study used deidentified national mortality data for 2008-2017 from the CDC's

RESULTS: While the suicide rate increased by 29% for blacks, 36% for Hispanics and 25% for non-Hispanic whites between 2008 and 2017, corresponding SIM rate increases were larger at 109%, 69% and 55% (p

CONCLUSION: Application of SIM exposed substantial excess burdens from substance poisoning relative to suicide for minorities, particularly non-Hispanic blacks and for women generally. Results underscored the need to define, develop, implement and evaluate comprehensive strategies to address common antecedents of self-injurious behaviors.

Recommended Citation

Rockett IRH, Caine ED, Connery HS, Nolte KB, Nestadt PS, Nelson LS, Jia H. Unrecognised self-injury mortality (SIM) trends among racial/ethnic minorities and women in the USA. Inj Prev. 2020 Oct;26(5):439-447. doi: 10.1136/injuryprev-2019-043371. Epub 2019 Sep 24. PMID: 31551367; PMCID: PMC7513258.