Citation

Miller HL, Coombs DW, Leeper JD, Barton SN. Am. J. Public Health 1984; 74(4): 340-343.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1984, American Public Health Association)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

6703161

PMCID

PMC1651500

Abstract

Since the 1960s, there has been a massive effort to reduce suicide mortality in the United States through prevention centers which invite suicidal persons to phone for supportive services. In spite of virtually total lack of evidence concerning the efficacy of these services, they proliferated until, by 1973, nearly every metropolitan area in the United States had at least one. Suicide rates increased slightly throughout this time. We studied 1968 through 1973, the years of greatest growth of suicide prevention facilities, comparing suicide rates in counties that added these centers with counties that did not do so. An association of centers with the reduction of suicides in young white females emerged. This finding was replicated on a different set of counties for a different time span. The results are discussed in light of the fact that this group constitutes the major clients of these centers.

Language: en