Suicide: scientific overview and relevance for trauma care providers

An abstract from the journal Trauma, Vol. 9, No. 3, 213-220 (2007):

By Marie Crandall

Department of Surgery, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA, mcrandall@northwestern.edu

The World Health Organization estimates that in the year 2000, approximately one million people died from suicide worldwide. Over the last 45 years, suicide rates have increased by 60%, with a particularly precipitous rise among young people. The underlying psychology of suicide is complex and individual. However, certain themes emerge from studying individuals who have attempted or completed suicides. This paper will provide an overview of suicide and suicidal behaviour as it relates to trauma practitioners, detailing risk factors, biologic and genetic interactions, and opportunities for prevention and treatment.

Key Words: trauma • injury • suicide • prevention • review • epidemiology