Citation

Linsley KR, Schapira K, Kelly TP. Br. J. Psychiatry 2001; 178: 465-468.

Affiliation

County Hospital, Durham, USA. keith.linsley@cddpsnhs.fsnet.co.uk

Copyright

(Copyright © 2001, Royal College of Psychiatry)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

11331564

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Open verdicts are often included in with suicides for research purposes and for setting health targets. AIMS: To examine similarities and differences in cases defined by the coroner as suicide and open verdicts and the implications of open verdicts for suicide research. METHOD: All cases of open and suicide verdicts recorded in the Newcastle Coroner's Court in the period 1985-1994 were compared on demographic and medical parameters. RESULTS: Open and suicide verdicts had many similarities, differing only in some respects, of which logistic regression identified the most significant to be a suicide note, method used and age. CONCLUSIONS: Open verdicts should be included in all suicide research after excluding cases in which suicide was unlikely. Objective criteria are needed to facilitate comparison between different studies.

Language: en