Coroner's verdicts in the elderly: a suicide or an open verdict?

Abstract

Objectives: To identify variables, other than legal definitions, that may have influenced North Cheshire's Coroner in returning a verdict of 'suicide' or an 'open verdict' on unexpected deaths of the elderly.

Design: Retrospective review of all coroner's verdicts in North Cheshire during a 5-year period 1989-1993.

Material: Forty-seven 'suicide' and 'open verdict' deaths in North Cheshire between 1989 and 1993 as defined in ICD classification 'E' codes E950-E959 and E980-E989, respectively, that were returned on the deceased aged 65 and above who died within North Cheshire.

Findings: Logistic regression analysis suggests that the Coroner's decision may be influenced by: intimation of intent, psychiatric history and method of death. Sex of the deceased, history of attempted suicide, social setting and history of alcohol problems did not appear significantly associated with coroner's verdict.