Description of Suicides Preceded by Driving While Intoxicated Arrests--National Violent Death Reporting System, 2003-2007

Background

Suicide results in approximately 32,000 deaths annually, or 11 per 100,000 people. Personal crises, such as arrest for driving while intoxicated (DWI), may indicate acute or underlying risks for suicide. However, the prevalence and circumstances of suicide following DWI arrest remain unclear. This study describes suicides preceded by DWI arrest and investigates whether their circumstances differ from other suicides.

Methods

The National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) links death certificate, law enforcement and coroner/medical examiner data from 17 states. Suicides preceded by DWI arrest in 2003-2007 were described and the association of these suicides with nine suicide circumstances among males was tested with hierarchical logistic regression. There were too few female suicides preceded by DWI arrests for analysis.

Results

There were 54.2 suicides per 100,000 DWI arrests across 14 states from 2005-2006. Of the 608 suicides preceded by DWI arrest, 19.9% occurred within 48 hours of the arrest and another 57.7% occurred while the court case was pending. Decedents with a DWI arrest were more likely to be currently depressed (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR)=1.5, 95% CI =1.3–1.8) and have job problems (AOR=1.9, 95% CI=1.5-2.3) than other suicide decedents.

Conclusions

Additional research is required to understand whether suicidal ideation precedes risk for DWI or if cumulative stressors associated with DWI arrest exacerbate risk for suicide. Nonetheless, the results indicate the need for coordinated and timely support services for DWI perpetrators to address underlying and situational stressors associated with suicide following DWI arrest, including depression and job problems.