Epidemiological Studies of Violent Death in the Cleveland Region

Norman B. Rushfort

Departments of Biology, Epidemiology & Biostatistics, and the Center for Adolescent Health
Case Western Reserve University

Methods of epidemiological investigation, both descriptive and analytical, were utilized initially in studies of mortality and morbidity resulting from infectious diseases. These methods have been further developed in investigations of chronic diseases. Within the past two decades there has been increasing use of epidemiological techniques and study designs to investigate fatal injury (sometimes termed violent deaths). Fatal injuries are classified as intentional (homicides and suicides) or unintentional (formerly designated as accidental deaths). Fatal injuries play an important role in public health problems, particularly in the U.S. from the point of view of leading causes of death for certain age, race, and sex groupings, potential years of life lost, and, together with non-fatal injuries, major costs to society.

In this seminar the application of some selected epidemiological methods to the study of intentional fatal injury will be illustrated using data both from the Cleveland region and the U.S. The results of a case-control study of risk factors for homicide in three urban counties (including Cuyahoga County) will be reviewed, and some characteristics of homicides in a high crime area of Cleveland will be discussed.

Refreshments: 3:30 - 4:00 p.m. Fri, Nov 14, at 327 Yost
Talk: 4:00 - 5:00 p.m. Fri, Nov 14, at 327 Yost.

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Questions? jiayang@sun.cwru.edu
Wed Aug 13 13:54:29 EDT 1997