Article Figures & Data
Tables
Aged 65–74 (n = 61) n (%) Aged 75–84 (n = 82) n (%) Aged 85 and older (n = 23) n (%) Sex Male 49 (80.3) 71 (86.6) 18 (78.3) Female 12 (19.7) 11 (13.4) 5 (21.7) Race White 41 (67.2) 60 (73.2) 17 (73.9) Black 6 (9.8) 2 (2.4) 1 (4.3) Hispanic 8 (13.1) 9 (11.0) 2 (8.7) Asian/Pacific islander 6 (9.8) 11 (13.4) 3 (13.0) Marital status Married 23 (37.7) 38 (46.3) 7 (30.4) Divorced 18 (29.5) 8 (9.8) 2 (8.7) Widowed 11 (18.0) 20 (24.4) 14 (60.9) Single/separated 8 (13.1) 14 (17.1) 0 (0.0) Unknown 1 (1.6) 2 (2.4) 0 (0.0) Means of death Gunshot to head 32 (52.5) 41 (50.0) 8 (34.8) Gunshot to body 2 (3.2) 7 (8.6) 4 (17.4) Hanging 10 (16.4) 11 (13.4) 3 (13.0) Overdose 8 (13.1) 7 (8.5) 4 (17.4) Fall 2 (3.2) 4 (4.9) 1 (4.3) Other 7 (11.5) 12 (14.6) 3 (13.0) Presence of alcohol in body* Yes 5 (8.2) 5 (6.1) 3 (13.0) No 56 (91.8) 77 (93.9) 20 (87.0) Place of death Home alone 21 (34.4) 36 (43.9) 13 (56.5) Alone in garage 7 (11.5) 9 (11.0) 1 (4.3) Alone in home but person in another room 16 (26.2) 17 (20.7) 6 (26.1) Other location 17 (27.9) 20 (24.4) 3 (13.0) Mental state† Depression 56 (91.8) 73 (89.0) 23 (100) Dementia 1 (1.6) 1 (1.2) 0 (0.0) Agitation 2 (3.3) 2 (2.4) 0 (0.0) Alcohol intoxication 2 (3.3) 2 (2.4) 0 (0.0) Psychosis 0 (0.0) 1 (1.2) 0 (0.0) Unknown 3 (4.9) 6 (7.3) 0 (0.0) Presence of physical illness* Yes 45 (73.8) 69 (84.1) 18 (78.3) No 1 (1.6) 1 (1.2) 1 (4.3) Unknown 15 (24.6) 12 (14.6) 4 (17.4) Medical history† Cancer 16 (26.2) 22 (26.8) 5 (21.7) Cardiovascular 10 (16.4) 14 (17.1) 6 (26.1) COPD 4 (6.6) 8 (9.8) 3 (13.0) Stroke 4 (6.6) 7 (8.5) 3 (13.0) In medical or mental health treatment* Yes 47 (77.0) 67 (81.7) 15 (65.2) No 1 (1.6) 3 (3.7) 3 (13.0) Unknown 13 (21.3) 12 (14.6) 5 (21.7) Stressor at time of suicide† Physical health 42 (68.9) 62 (75.6) 19 (82.6) Mental health 37 (60.7) 46 (56.1) 12 (52.2) Loss of family member or significant other 6 (9.8) 12 (14.6) 4 (17.4) Loss of friend 2 (3.3) 0 (0.0) 1 (4.3) Financial problems 6 (9.8) 1 (1.2) 0 (0.0) Legal problems 2 (3.3) 2 (2.4) 1 (4.3) Family problems 4 (6.6) 5 (6.1) 1 (4.3) Forced retirement 2 (3.3) 1 (1.2) 0 (0.0) Feeling like a burden 0 (0.0) 6 (7.3) 4 (17.4) Oregon 1998–2011 (n = 596) n (%)* Washington 2009–2011 (n = 213) n (%)* Sex Male 308 (51.7) 111 (52.1) Female 288 (48.3) 102 (47.9) Age, years 18–34 6 (1.0) 0 (0) 35–44 14 (2.3) 3 (1.4) 45–54 44 (7.4) 19 (8.9) 55–64 123 (20.6) 45 (21.1) 65–74 170 (28.5) 67 (31.5) 75–84 168 (28.2) 47 (22.1) 85+ 71 (11.9) 32 (15.0) Race (n = 189)† White 579 (97.6) 180 (95.2) Hispanic or non-white 14 (2.4) 9 (4.8) Unknown 3 0 Marital status (n = (189)† Married 271 (45.7) 90 (47.6) Widowed 134 (22.6) 41 (21.7) Divorced 139 (23.4) 42 (22.2) Never married 49 (8.3) 16 (8.5) Unknown 3 0 Underlying Illness Cancer 480 (80.9) 166 (77.9) Neurodegenerative disease (including ALS) 44 (7.4) 22 (10.3) Respiratory disease (including COPD) 25 (4.2) 9 (4.2) Heart Disease 10 (1.7) 10 (4.7) HIV/AIDS 8 (1.3) Not noted Other illnesses 26 (4.4) 6 (2.8) Unknown 3 0 End-of-life concerns‡ n = (592)§ (n = 202)‖ Losing autonomy 538 (90.9) 183 (90.6) Less able to engage in activities that make life enjoyable 523 (88.3) 179 (88.6) Loss of dignity 386 (82.7) 151 (74.8) Losing control of bodily functions 318 (53.7) 105 (52.0) Burden on family, friends/caregivers 214 (36.1) 78 (38.6) Inadequate pain control or concern about it 134 (22.6) 70 (34.7) Financial implications of treatment 15 (2.5) 8 (4.0) Health care provider present when medication ingested (n = 526)¶ (n = 157)# Prescribing physician or other provider 331 (82.1) 87 (62.6) No provider 72 (17.9) 52 (37.4) Unknown 123** 18 At time of death Prescribing physician or other provider 343 (66.7) Not noted No provider 171 (33.3) Not noted Unknown 12†† Not noted The totals for some categories are less than the number of people who died in Washington, because not all data had been received or reported at the time the report was written. Data are expressed as n (%), unless otherwise noted. COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder; ALS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
↵* Unknowns are excluded when calculating percentages.
↵† Data available for 87 of the 94 participants who died in 2011, 61 of the 72 who died in 2010, and 41 of the 47 who died in 2009.
↵‡ Participants may have noted more than one concern; therefore, total percentage may be more than 100% for both Oregon and Washington.
↵§ Data unavailable for 4 participants in 2001.
↵‖ Data available for 91 of the 94 participants who died in 2011, 67 of the 72 who died in 2010, and 44 of the 47 who died in 2009.
↵¶ Data are reported for 2001–2011.
↵# Of those participants who ingested the medication and died, data are available for 70 in 2011, 51 in 2010, and 36 in 2009.
↵** A procedure revision in Oregon, adopted mid-year 2010, accepts information only when a physician or other health care provider is present at time of death; thus, resulting in a larger number of unknowns beginning in 2010.
↵†† Noted for 2001–2010.