THE DESCRIPTIVE EPIDEMIOLOGY OF UNNATURAL DEATHS IN OREGON STATE INSTITUTIONS - A 25-YEAR (1963-1987) STUDY .4. THE REDUCTION OF UNNATURAL DEATH RATES DURING 1988-1992 IN 3 FACILITIES AS A RESULT OF PLANNED CHANGES

This paper documents the most recent five-year (1988-1992) analysis of unnatural deaths in Oregon's state mental and correctional institutio ns. The current findings are compared with those of the preceding five years (1983-1987) within the context of the long term trend in unnatu ral death rates for the previous 25 years. The unnatural death rates f or the institutional clients are also compared with those for the noni nstitutionalized citizens of Marion County, Oregon. There are two majo r findings in these 1988-1992 data: (a) There have been highly signifi cant reductions in unnatural death rates in Oregon State Hospital and in the Forensic Psychiatric Program, which the authors believe an: lar gely due to the implementation of planned changes to reduce the previo usly very high suicide rates in these two facilities; and (b) There wa s a dramatic reduction (to zero) of unnatural deaths at the Fairview T raining Center. The authors also believe that this was attainable most ly because of large-scale improvements made at that facility, by the D epartment of Human Resources and the Oregon Legislature, just before a nd during the present study time frame. Changes in these three facilit ies which led to the improvement in unnatural death rates of clients a re discussed.