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Suicide in Adulthood

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Encyclopedia of Primary Prevention and Health Promotion

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Introduction

Each year, more people die by suicide worldwide than in the combined effect of all homicides, wars, armed conflicts, and terrorist attacks (World Health Organization, 2011). Suicide is the 11th leading cause of death in the United States (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2009), and contrary to popular belief, death by suicide is not primarily a phenomenon associated with youth. Overall in the world, as in the United States, the highest suicide rates are generally in the adult population and the elderly (World Health Organization, 2011).

Definitions and Scope

Although it seems evident that suicide should be defined as when a person intentionally kills himself or herself, the application of such a simple definition is often problematic. Data on deaths by suicide, called “completed suicides” (the term “successfulsuicides” is now considered politically incorrect), come from official statistics as reported by the coroner or medical examiner in each state, province,...

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Psychology Department, Université du Québec à Montréal, C. P. 8888, Succ Centre-ville, Montréal, QC, Canada

    Brian L. Mishara

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  1. Brian L. Mishara
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Correspondence to Brian L. Mishara .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Child & Family Agency of Southeastern Connecticut, New London, CT, USA

    Thomas P. Gullotta

  2. University of Connecticut, West Hartford, USA

    Martin Bloom

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Mishara, B.L. (2014). Suicide in Adulthood. In: Gullotta, T.P., Bloom, M. (eds) Encyclopedia of Primary Prevention and Health Promotion. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-5999-6_279

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-5999-6_279

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