Antidepressants at Autopsy in Hispanic Suicidal Youth in Miami-Dade County, Florida*
Edmi Cortes M.D.
The Mental Health Hospital Center, Jackson Health System, 1695 NW 9th Avenue, Miami, FL 33136.
Search for more papers by this authorAntonio Cubano M.D.
The Mental Health Hospital Center, Jackson Health System, 1695 NW 9th Avenue, Miami, FL 33136.
Search for more papers by this authorJohn E. Lewis Ph.D.
The Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1120 NW 14th St, Suite 1474 (D21), Miami, FL 33136.
Search for more papers by this authorDaniel Castellanos M.D.
The Department of Psychiatry, Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, 11200 SW 8th St, HLS II 693, Miami, FL 33199.
Search for more papers by this authorEdmi Cortes M.D.
The Mental Health Hospital Center, Jackson Health System, 1695 NW 9th Avenue, Miami, FL 33136.
Search for more papers by this authorAntonio Cubano M.D.
The Mental Health Hospital Center, Jackson Health System, 1695 NW 9th Avenue, Miami, FL 33136.
Search for more papers by this authorJohn E. Lewis Ph.D.
The Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1120 NW 14th St, Suite 1474 (D21), Miami, FL 33136.
Search for more papers by this authorDaniel Castellanos M.D.
The Department of Psychiatry, Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, 11200 SW 8th St, HLS II 693, Miami, FL 33199.
Search for more papers by this authorPresented at the Annual Meeting of the American Psychiatric Association, May 17–21, 2009, in San Francisco, CA.
Abstract
Abstract: Controversy has surrounded the use of antidepressants and suicidal behaviors in youth. This study reviewed the Medical Examiner’s Office records of 253 persons aged 24 years or younger classified as suicides in Miami-Dade County, Florida, from 1990 to 2007. Information was collected regarding demographic information, suicidal characteristics, psychiatric and psychosocial factors, and toxicology results. Eighty-five percent of the sample was men, and 53.4% of the subjects were Hispanic. Consistent with previous literature, the existence of antidepressants at autopsy was rare; present in only 6% (n = 15) of the victims. The occurrence of antidepressants was not significantly different between Hispanics (n = 7) and non-Hispanics (n = 8). The incidence of antidepressants was weakly correlated with a tendency to be men and no history of psychiatric illness. The presence of antidepressants in Hispanic youth suicide victims was similar to non-Hispanics.
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