Medical examiner and coroner reports: uses and limitations in the epidemiology and prevention of late-life suicide

Objective: Late-life suicide is a growing public health concern in many parts of the world. Understanding the contributory factors to completed suicide is essential to inform the development of effective suicide risk assessment and management. The aim of this study is to synthesise the findings in studies that used coroner or medical examiner records to determine these contributory factors.

Methods: The databases of Scopus (from 1960), MEDLINE (from 1946) and PsychINFO (from 1806) were searched in August 2013, to identify studies that used coroner or medical examiner records for investigating the epidemiological, sociodemographic characteristics and clinical aspects of late-life suicide.

Results: In total, 25 studies were identified. There was a lack of standardisation of variables assessed between studies leading to incomplete datasets in some work. However, a diagnosis of depression was found in 33%, and depressive mood/symptoms in 47% of cases. About 55% had a physical health problem. Terminal illness was associated with a smaller proportion (7.1%) of the cases. Older people were more likely to have had contact with primary care rather than mental health services prior to suicide.

Conclusions: Despite their limitations, coroner and medical examiner records provide an opportunity for examining suicide epidemiology. Targeting primary care providers where late-life depression and physical illness can be detected and treated is a potential strategy to address late-life suicide.