Emergency medical system responses to suicide-related calls--Maine, November 1999-October 2000.

Suicidal acts are morbid and potentially lethal events that are risks for subsequent completed suicide and possibly other health problems (e.g., substance abuse and depression). Suicidal behavior also can have negative consequences on family members, friends, and caregivers. In 1996, the cost of health care and lost wages for suicide attempts in Maine was approximately $115 million. In 1999, a total of 1,079 persons were hospitalized in Maine for self-injurious behavior. Although Maine has no injury-related surveillance systems, the Maine Bureau of Health (MBOH) assessed the use of Emergency Medical Service (EMS) response data to estimate incidence of EMS responses to suicide-related calls in Maine and to summarize the distribution of these responses by patient and event characteristics. This report describes EMS suicide-related responses during November 1999-October 2000 and indicates that EMS data would be a useful component of an integrated statewide suicidal behavior surveillance system.