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Karon Abe, PhD, Kristen J. Mertz, MD, MPH, Kenneth E. Powell, MD, MPH and Randy L. Hanzlick, MD

At the time of the study, Karon Abe, Kristen Mertz, and Kenneth Powell were with the Division of Public Health, Georgia Department of Human Resources, Atlanta. Randy Hanzlick is with the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office, Atlanta.

Correspondence: Requests for reprints should be sent to Karon Abe, PhD, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy Mail Stop K-23, Atlanta, GA 30341 (e-mail kabe{at}cdc.gov).

Objectives. We compared the prevalence of risk factors for Black and White suicide decedents in Fulton County, Georgia, from 1988–2002.

Methods. We used data from the Fulton County Medical Examiner’s Office to compile information on suicides that occurred in Fulton County between 1988 and 2002. We used the ² test and logistic regression to identify associations between suicide risk factors and race.

Results. Black suicide decedents were more likely than White suicide decedents to be male (odds ratio [OR]=2.06; 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.38, 3.09), to be younger, (24 y [OR = 4.74; 95% CI = 2.88, 7.81]; 25–34 y [OR = 2.79; 95% CI = 1.74, 4.47]; 35–44 y [OR = 1.86; 95% CI = 1.13, 3.07]), and to hurt others in a suicide (OR = 4.22; 95% CI = 1.60, 11.15) but less likely to report depression (OR=0.63; 95% CI=0.48, 0.83), to have a family history of suicide (OR=0.08; 95% CI=0.01, 0.61), or to leave a suicide note (OR=0.37; 95% CI=0.26, 0.52).

Conclusions. Future research should consider that Black suicide decedents are less likely to report depression than White suicide decedents. This suicide risk difference is important when developing effective suicide prevention programs.