VIOLENT SUICIDE IN SOUTH-YORKSHIRE, ENGLAND

Differences in the characteristics of those individuals choosing viole nt methods of suicide in South Yorkshire were studied. With the except ion of jumping from a height, these methods were more frequently used by males, with a particular male predominance in deaths due to self-im molation, railway collision, hanging, firearms, and electrocution. The most potentially painful/disfiguiring methods of suicide, jumping fro m a height, self-immolation, and railway deaths, were favored by the y oung. Drowning, stabbing and cutting and electrocution were common amo ng the elderly. Severe mental illness was common amongst those choosin g some of the most painful or disfiguring modes of death (jumping from a height; self-immolation; cutting/stabbing and road traffic ''accide nts'') particularly when compared to the principal alternative of hang ing. The same group of causes of death was associated with a high prop ortion of individuals who had previously attempted suicide. Severe men tal illness was not so obviously a feature of the railway or firearm d eaths. Hanging represented more than half the cases included in the st udy and showed a sex ratio of over 4 to 1 in favor of males. However, all seven individuals of non-European origin, six of whom were female, chose to hang themselves. Whereas half of the females aged under 40 j umped from a height, hanging was the method of choice in the age group 40 to 59. Among males, hanging was particularly favored by those with what might be considered an impulsive reason for suicide, namely, the end of a relationship with a member of the opposite sex. A high propo rtion of these were intoxicated with alcohol and a high proportion lef t a suicide note.