Table 2.
Number and Percentage of Suicides with and without Epilepsy (10 years old and older), By Method , Location, and Month—U.S. National Violent Death Reporting System, 17 States, 2003–2011
| With Epilepsy
|
Without Epilepsy
|
Total
|
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N | % (95% CI) | N | % (95% CI) | N | % (95% CI) | |
| Month | ||||||
| January | 93 | 9.6 (7.8–11.6) | 6,540 | 8.0 (7.8–8.2) | 6,633 | 8.0 (7.9–8.2) |
| February | 65 | 6.7 (5.2–8.5) | 6,053 | 7.4 (7.3–7.6) | 6,118 | 7.4 (7.2–7.6) |
| March | 95 | 9.8 (8.0–11.8) | 7,012 | 8.6 (8.4–8.8) | 7,107 | 8.6 (8.4–8.8) |
| April | 69 | 7.1 (5.6–8.9) | 6,830 | 8.4 (8.2–8.6) | 6,899 | 8.4 (8.2–8.6) |
| May | 92 | 9.5 (7.7–11.5) | 7,187 | 8.8 (8.6–9.0) | 7,279 | 8.8 (8.6–9.0) |
| June | 79 | 8.1 (6.5–10.0) | 6,945 | 8.5 (8.3–8.7) | 7,024 | 8.5 (8.3–8.7) |
| July | 76 | 7.8 (6.2–9.7) | 7,275 | 8.9 (8.7–9.1) | 7,351 | 8.9 (8.7–9.1) |
| August | 77 | 7.9 (6.3–9.8) | 7,059 | 8.7 (8.5–8.9) | 7,136 | 8.7 (8.5–8.9) |
| September | 93 | 9.6 (7.8–11.6) | 6,874 | 8.4 (8.2–8.6) | 6,967 | 8.5 (8.3–8.6) |
| October | 74 | 7.6 (6.0–9.5) | 6,945 | 8.5 (8.3–8.7) | 7,019 | 8.5 (8.3–8.7) |
| November | 85 | 8.8 (7.1–10.7) | 6,439 | 7.9 (7.7–8.1) | 6,524 | 7.9 (7.7–8.1) |
| December | 72 | 7.4 (5.9–9.3) | 6,296 | 7.7 (7.5–7.9) | 6,368 | 7.7 (7.5–7.9) |
| Total | 970b | 81,455 b | 82,425 b | |||
| Location | ||||||
| House/Apartment | 756 | 77.8 (75.0–80.4)* | 60,748 | 74.5 (74.2–74.8) | 61,504 | 74.5 (74.3–74.8) |
| Commercial Area | 46 | 4.7 (3.5–6.3) | 3,665 | 4.5 (4.4––4.6) | 3,711 | 4.5 (4.4–4.6) |
| Transport area: other | 35 | 3.6 (2.5–5.0) | 3,872 | 4.7 (4.6–4.9) | 3,907 | 4.7 (4.6–4.9) |
| Other Specified Places | 31 | 3.2 (2.2–4.5) | 2,894 | 3.5 (3.4–3.7) | 2,925 | 3.5 (3.4–3.7) |
| Natural Area/Countryside | 28 | 2.9 (1.9–4.1) | 3,561 | 4.4 (4.2–4.5) | 3,589 | 4.4 (4.2–4.5) |
| Residential Institution | 28 | 2.9 (1.9–4.1)* | 1,484 | 1.8 (1.7–1.9) | 1,512 | 1.8 (1.7–1.9) |
| Public Transport area | 24 | 2.5 (1.6–3.7) | 2,718 | 3.3 (3.2–3.5) | 2,742 | 3.3 (3.2–3.4) |
| Unknown | 13 | 1.3 (0.7–2.3) | 1,456 | 1.8 (1.7–1.9) | 1,469 | 1.8 (1.7–1.9) |
| Recreational Area | 11 | 1.1 (0.6–2.0) | 1,131 | 1.4 (1.3–1.5) | 1,142 | 1.4 (1.3–1.5) |
| Total | 972 | 81,529 | 82,501 | |||
| Method | ||||||
| Poisoning | 332 | 38.4 (35.2–41.8)* | 12,566 | 16.9 (16.7–17.2) | 12,898 | 17.2 (16.9–17.4) |
| Firearm | 297 | 34.4 (31.2–37.6)* | 39,334 | 53.0 (52.6–53.3) | 39,631 | 52.8 (52.4–53.1) |
| Hanging/Strangulation/Suffocation | 169 | 19.6 (17.0–22.4)* | 17,380 | 23.4 (23.1–23.7) | 17,549 | 23.4 (23.1–23.7) |
| Fall/Jumping | 26 | 3.0 (2.0–4.4) | 1,662 | 2.2 (2.1–2.3) | 1,688 | 2.2 (2.1–2.4) |
| Sharp Object | 15 | 1.7 (1.0–2.8) | 1,248 | 1.7 (1.6–1.8) | 1,263 | 1.7 (1.6–1.8) |
| Other Specified Means/Unspecified Means | 8 | 0.9 (0.4–1.8) | 620 | 0.8 (0.8–0.9) | 628 | 0.8 (0.8–0.9) |
| Fire and Burns | 6 | 0.7 (0.3–1.5) | 284 | 0.4 (0.3–0.4) | 290 | 0.4 (0.3–0.4) |
| Sequelae of intentional self-harm, assault, and events of | 6 | 0.7 (0.3–1.5) | 150 | 0.2 (0.2–0.2) | 156 | 0.2 (0.2–0.2) |
| Drowning and Submersion | 5 | 0.6 (0.2–1.3) | 776 | 1.0 (1.0–1.1) | 781 | 1.0 (1.0–1.1) |
| Explosive Material | 0 | ------ | 5 | 0.0 (0.0–0.0) | 5 | 0.0 (0.0–0.0) |
| Blunt Object | 0 | ------ | a | a | ||
| Motor Vehicle | 0 | ------ | 223 | 0.3 (0.3–0.3) | 223 | 0.3 (0.3–0.3) |
| Total | 864b | 100.0 | 74,252 b | 100.0 | 75,116b | 100.0 |
Abbreviation: 95% CI: 95% exact confidence interval for a percentage (based on the modified Clopper-Pearson CI for a proportion).
*
P<0.01when comparing those with epilepsy to those without epilepsy.
a
Estimates were not reported when number of decedents was 1–4.
b
Total numbers are fewer than 972 (suicides with epilepsy), 81529 (suicides without epilepsy) or 82501 (total suicides),respectively due to the missing data .