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From: hollombe@ttidcc.UUCP (The Polymath)
Newsgroups: net.suicide,net.games.frp
Subject: Re: 60 Minutes' D&D Segment (after further research)
Message-ID: <734@ttidcc.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 26-Sep-85 18:03:16 EDT
Article-I.D.: ttidcc.734
Posted: Thu Sep 26 18:03:16 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 1-Oct-85 05:42:24 EDT
References: <1600@trwrba.UUCP> <2356@sdcrdcf.UUCP> <729@ttidcc.UUCP>
Reply-To: hollombe@ttidcb.UUCP (The Polymath)
Organization: The Cat Factory
Lines: 33
Xref: linus net.suicide:689 net.games.frp:1678
Summary: 


I'm following up my own article after doing a little  more  research.  I've
been  looking  at  national  suicide figures for 1981 (latest available) as
published in the _Statistical Abstract of the United States_,  a  book  put
out by the Bureau of the Census.

Unfortunately, their age breakdown doesn't coincide with the 10 to 19  year
definition  of  teenagers.  However,  any  way  you  look at the stats, D&D
players appear to be a lower risk for suicide.

The suicide rate for ages 15 - 24 over the period 1961 - 1981 is  12.3  per
100,000.

Rates per 100,000 broken down by sex and age for 1981 (caucasians):
                          age     male    female
			  5-14      .8     .3
			  15-24   21.1    3.8

For comparison with 60 Minutes'  figures  see  below.  Did  anyone  get  60
Minutes'  figures  broken  down  by  age?  I  missed the show because I was
playing D&D when it aired ( :-) does that make me an iron?).

>       ... 60  Minutes'  figures give an annualized rate of .19 per hundred
>thousand (ignoring the probability that some  of  their  cases  would  have
>committed suicide anyway). ...

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
The Polymath (aka: Jerry Hollombe)
Citicorp(+)TTI                    Common Sense is what tells you that a ten
3100 Ocean Park Blvd.             pound weight falls ten times as fast as a
Santa Monica, CA  90405           one pound weight.
(213) 450-9111, ext. 2483
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