Alcohol and Violent Death: The Role of Alcohol in Homicides and Suicides in North Carolina

BACKGROUND: There is already a known connection between alcohol and violence. Law enforcement and medical examiner reports that feed into the North Carolina Violent Death Reporting System (NC-VDRS) have continued to collect alcohol-related circumstance information on most violent deaths where relevant and available since 2004. The purpose of this study is to 1) describe demographic characteristics of homicide and suicide decedents where alcohol played a role in their death; 2) compare the differences between alcohol-related homicides and suicides and 3) establish a baseline for future alcohol surveillance activities in the state.  

METHODS: The study sample included all resident suicide, homicide, and legal intervention deaths included in the NC-VDRS from 2004 to 2010. Legal intervention deaths were included because these deaths can be legally classified as homicides or are suspected to be suicide by cop in some cases. Frequency analyses were performed using SAS Version 9.3 for specific demographic and circumstance variables among deaths where alcohol use was suspected or involved. Chi square tests were performed where appropriate to test for significance.   

RESULTS: Preliminary analyses resulted in a total of 7,700 resident suicides and 4,185 resident homicides from 2004 to 2010.  Nearly 30% of suicide decedents and 34% of homicide victims in the surveillance system had suspicion of alcohol use at the time of death. Of all suicide decedents and homicide victims with a positive blood alcohol test, 74% and 70% had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) at or above the legal limit (0.08 g/dl), respectively. Additional analyses will be performed and presented to examine specific demographic and circumstance information as well as the legal intervention piece.  

CONCLUSIONS: The NC-VDRS has been collecting alcohol-related circumstance information for violent deaths since the system was established and can be used to better understand the role alcohol plays in homicides and suicides. By examining the epidemiology of alcohol-related violent death for the state, risk groups can be identified for specific causes of death, trends over time can be monitored, geographical patterns can be mapped, and ideas for alcohol-related surveillance into the future based on current or modified variables might be formulated.