Regional use of violent suicide methods: an analysis of suicide attempts in Houston, Texas.

A number of changes in the demographics of suicide and suicide attempters have occurred in the last 10 to 15 years. To assess some of the factors that may be involved in these changes, this study examines a group of suicide attempters in Houston, Texas, where a large percentage of the attempts were violent. These violent attempters are compared with nonviolent attempters, and the entire population of attempters is compared with suicide attempters in New Haven, Connecticut. Finally, the two attempter populations are compared with the underlying general population demographics of two regions (Houston and New Haven). Several differences emerged between attempters in Houston and in New Haven, including larger proportions of violent attempters, male attempters, and married attempters in Houston. Demographic factors in the general populations for the two regions are different, but these differences are not directly reflected in the nature of the attempter populations. Reasons for observed differences are discussed.