Unrecognized Self-Injury Mortality (SIM) Trends in the USA

What is it about?

Suicides are undercounted in the United States, in part reflecting data discrepancies based on race/ethnicity and sex. This study applies an enhanced concept of self-injury mortality (SIM), as a composite of registered suicides and estimated “accidental”/undetermined intent substance-related fatalities, to place racial/ethnic and sex differences in a new light. Examination of SIM-to-suicide rate gaps exposed substantial excess burdens from substance poisoning for minorities, especially non-Hispanic Blacks, and for women generally. Arbitrary distinctions based on determining the proximate manner of death fail to provide the necessary foundation for planning effective upstream prevention and clinical intervention strategies in the face of rapidly rising suicide and drug overdose death rates.

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Photo by Cristian Newman on Unsplash

Photo by Cristian Newman on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Applying a more comprehensive category than suicide for self-injury mortality in the USA has exposed excesses in drug poisoning deaths and premature mortality for minorities relative to non-Hispanic Whites and women relative to than men regardless of their race/ethnicity. Prevention and treatment efforts need to target all groups and to address risk factors, like social inequality, that are common both to suicide and non-suicide drug self-intoxication deaths.

Perspectives