Citation

O'Dwyer AM, Sheppard NP, Murphy MN, Horgan R. Ir. J. Psychol. Med. 1992; 9(2): 108-110.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1992, Irish Institute of Psychological Medicine)

DOI

10.1017/S0790966700013586

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To survey suicides occurring in Waterford City and County in 1990, to calculate a suicide rate for the region and to examine a series of drownings which occurred during the study period.

METHOD: A catchment area study was carried out with information being collected from coroner's reports, police records, post-mortem reports and other sources. Cases were defined by clinical criteria.

RESULTS: 13 males and 1 female were considered to have died by suicide, giving an estimated suicide rate of 15 per 100,000. Demographic characteristics and prevalence of psychiatric morbidity conformed broadly to national trends.

CONCLUSION: Structuring a study to deal with suicides within a particular catchment area allows ready access to detailed information from local sources and yields information of special interest and significance to the psychiatric services of the area. Study of a series of drownings in young adult males in 1990 which had aroused much local concern illustrates the difficulties in categorising deaths accurately by this method. © 1992, Cambridge University Press. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

adult; human; suicide; Suicide; drowning; female; male; Drownings; article; clinical article; Catchment area; ireland; regionalization