AIDS and Suicide in California

To the Editor.— We read with interest the recent article by Marzuk et al 1 regarding the increased relative risk of suicide among men with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in New York City. We also have been interested in this subject because of the incidence of AIDS in California (approximately one fourth of all AIDS cases reported in the United States) and because of the increased rate of suicide observed among California men in recent years. 2,3 While the magnitude of the increased relative risk seems to be less in California than in New York City, we also have noted an increased risk of suicide among persons with AIDS. Suicide ranks as the eighth leading cause of death in California. In 1986, the most recent year for which complete statistics are available, there were a total of 3960 suicide deaths reported in California, giving a total population rate of 14.68