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In 2005, violent deaths claimed the lives of
15,962 people in 16 states, according to data
collected by the
National Violent Death Reporting System.
The study was included in the Morbidity and
Mortality Weekly Report, published by the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The majority (56.1 percent) of these deaths were
suicides, followed by homicides and deaths
involving legal intervention (29.6 percent),
deaths of undetermined intent (13.3 percent), and
unintentional firearm deaths (0.7 percent).
Many contributing factors
The study also found that intimate partner
violence and relationship problems, mental health
problems, and drug and alcohol use at the time of
death were common precipitating factors.
In nearly 87 percent of cases where homicide was
followed by the suicide of a suspect, a personal
crisis had occurred in the two weeks prior to the
incident.
Former or current military personal accounted for
20 percent of all suicides.
Each year in the United States, about 50 000
people (137 per day) suffer a violent death.
Programs to enhance social problem-solving and
coping skills, and skills for dealing with
stressful life events, may help reduce violence,
the study authors said.
–(HealthDay News)
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