Editor's Capsule Summary
What is already known on this topic
Most studies of suicide acts are limited as a result of their focus on self-reported behavior, group size, or small number of suicide methods used.
What question this study addressed
Using mortality and hospital admission data from 7 states, specific case fatality rates for suicide attempted by different methods were calculated and compared for differences by age and sex.
What this study adds to our knowledge
Of 8 categories of methods (ie, firearms, hanging, jumping, poisoning by drugs, cutting, drowning, poisoning by gas, and other), firearms were the most lethal means (91% lethal), followed by drowning (84%) and hanging (82%), compared with 2% for drug ingestion. For every method of suicide attempt, case fatality rates were higher for males and older individuals.
How this might change clinical practice
Age and sex influence the proportion of suicide acts that prove lethal primarily because they are related to which methods are chosen. Further study is needed to better understand how age and sex influence this choice.