Lethal Methods Research Articles

An analysis of hospital-treated attempted hanging and drowning in Ireland, 2007-2019

Abstract Background Highly lethal of methods of self-harm, such as attempted hanging and drowning, are a major public health concern due to their high associated risk of completed suicide. This study aims to describe hospital presentations for attempted hanging and drowning in Ireland and explore the factors associated with self-harm and repeat self-harm by these methods. Methods Data on all self-harm presentations to Irish hospitals (2007-2019) were obtained from the National Self-Harm Registry Ireland, a national surveillance system of hospital-treated self-harm. Multivariable logistic regression was used to explore factors associated with any presentation for attempted hanging and drowning and factors associated with repetition of attempted hanging and drowning. Results There were 9,719 and 4,637 attempted hanging and drowning hospital presentations, respectively, in Ireland in 2007-2019. The odds of presentations being due to hanging, rather than due to any other self-harm method, were highest for males (aOR 2.88, 95% CI: 2.76-3.02), children aged <15 (aOR 1.32, 1.17-1.48) and in summer (aOR 1.09, 1.02-1.14). The odds of presentations being due to drowning, rather than due to any other self-harm method, were highest for those aged ≥55 (aOR 1.60, 1.43-1.78), homeless individuals (aOR 2.59, 2.32-2.89) and in autumn (aOR 1.15, 1.06-1.25). Repetition of attempted hanging was positively associated with homelessness (aOR 2.47, 2.02-3.04) and acute alcohol ingestion (aOR 1.12, 1.02-1.23). Similar associations were observed for repetition of attempted drowning. Conclusions This study identifies key population groups for whom the risk of self-harm, or repeat self-harm, by hanging and drowning is greatest. Universal, targeted and indicated interventions are needed to address the determinants of highly lethal methods of self-harm. Biopsychosocial assessments of those presenting after attempted hanging and drowning are essential, in view of their high risk of repeat self-harm and suicide. Key messages

Suicide as a public health concern: Confronting the means, motives, and opportunity

Abstract Issue Suicide continues to present a major public health concern in many societies. Suicide prevention efforts have failed to reduce the rate of suicide in most countries. A change of intervention strategy can help to prevent these deaths from despair. Description of the problem Suicide prevention strategies are examined through an integrative review combined with more than 30 years of experience conducting research on suicide attempters and psychological autopsy research on adults who had died by suicide. Journal articles published since 2005 were reviewed for strategies designed to prevent death by suicide. Results Suicide risk is examined by confronting the means, motives and opportunities for suicidal behavior. Prevention strategies that limit access to lethal means can have a beneficial impact if the method is easily accessible and not easily replaced. Unfortunately, some individuals merely shift to a different method for their suicidal act. Prevention strategies that restrict the opportunity for self-injury provide time to confront underlying disorders and initiate treatment. Unfortunately, many patients do not continue treatment beyond the acute crisis, and there is often a resurgence of suicidal behavior after discharge from the hospital. Prevention strategies that aim to confront the person’s motivation to die may reduce the underlying cause. It is important to provide interventions to help reduce the desperation and isolation that underlie suicidal urges. These intervention strategies hold potential for making lasting changes that could eliminate, instead of temporarily suppressing, the desire to die. Lessons Restricting access to lethal methods and limiting times when a suicidal person is left alone can temporarily block suicidal urges. However, the motive underlying the suicidal urges remains intact. The motivation to die can be addressed through interventions that focuses on helping clients to build a life worth living. Key messages • Suicide prevention strategies can confront the desire for death by helping to build a life that is worth living. • Comprehensive interventions aimed at reducing depression, isolation and addiction hold potential for reducing the rate of suicide.

Initial study on free-roaming dogs in Serbian hunting grounds

We used the questionnaire method to collect initial data on the presence, characteristics, and attacks on wildlife by free-roaming dogs from 364 employees in professional services for hunting and game management in Serbia. The results showed that more than 80% of participants frequently saw free-roaming dogs in their hunting grounds. Most of the participants saw medium-sized dogs (63%) in groups of more than 5 animals (53%). Forty-three percent of respondents believed that free/roaming dogs belonged to the category of abandoned dogs. Participants noted that the population of free-roaming dogs has increased in the last 5 years in hunting grounds. The smallest share of participants (60%) who noticed an increase in the number of free-roaming dogs was from mountainous hunting grounds (P < 0.5). More than 50% of participants believed that the number of deadly attacks by free-roaming dogs on wildlife has increased in the last 5 years. Roe deer were the most common victims of dog attacks. Lethal methods of controlling the populations of free-roaming dogs were not accepted by participants. Considering the almost identical traditions of the Balkan peoples regarding the treatment of dogs, we consider this study especially important for the region.

Symposium 1-2 - The Potential of Contraceptive Vaccines in Management of Wildlife Populations

Immunological contraception in wildlife has been the subject of many studies over the past 40 years owing to the social problems resulting from the damage caused to agriculture, forestry, fisheries, human living environments, and various ecosystems by overpopulated wildlife. To solve these problems, the demand for management techniques to maintain adequate wildlife populations is increasing. Generally, two types of methods are used for controlling wildlife populations: lethal and non-lethal. Lethal methods are the most common and effective for reducing wildlife populations in a relatively short period of time. However, from the viewpoint of animal welfare, social expectations for non-lethal methods have been increasing, and some applications of the population control through immunological contraception have also been used for large ungulates in the United States and Europe. Additionally, overpopulated species generally have high reproductive success rates, and fertility control techniques are expected to be an efficient approach. However, because the reproductive biology of wild animals is highly species specific, successful population management through fertility control requires the development of techniques that are appropriate for the target species. Additionally, fertility control techniques must be applied with the ecosystem in consideration. We have been searching for species-specific antigens derived from the zona pellucida for the development of contraceptive vaccines for raccoons and mongooses. In this talk, I will introduce the possibility and issues of contraceptive vaccines for wildlife management by presenting our research results and outlining examples of foreign applications of contraceptive vaccines to wildlife.

Time-series analysis of trends in the incidence rates of successful and attempted suicides in Thailand in 2013–2019 and their predictors

BackgroundSuicide rates are of increasing concern worldwide. There are approximately 4000–5000 deaths by suicide each year in Thailand. This study examined trends in annual incidence rates and predictors of successful and attempted suicides in Thailand (2013–2019).MethodsSecondary data analysis was conducted on data from two national-level databases: The National Health Security Office and the National Death Certification Registry System. Time-related trends and predictors of successful and attempted suicides were calculated using joinpoint regression and multivariable logistic regression analyses, respectively.ResultsOf all successful suicide cases from 2013 to 2019, about 80% involved men, with an average age of 45.37 (± 16.43) years. Predictors of successful suicide included male sex, older age, using highly lethal methods, and no prior psychiatric treatment. Among individuals admitted to hospitals following a suicide attempt from 2013– to 2019, the average age at first admission was 38.83 ± 22.47 years, with women more heavily represented than men. Only 2.3% of these patients received psychiatric treatment in the hospital. Predictors of attempted suicide included female sex; adolescent or adult; and mental, alcohol, or substance-related disorder(s). Age-standardized annual rates per 100,000 people showed that, through 2019, suicide incidence increased slightly, and attempts decreased.ConclusionsThere was a significantly increasing trend in successful suicide during the 7 years; the increase was more notable among men. The study highlights sex-related gaps in public health owing to an identified higher incidence of suicide among men, and a higher incidence of suicide attempts in women adolescents, emphasizing the need to consider sex-sensitive issues in individual as well as societal contexts.

Comparison of lethal and non-lethal age-based growth estimation methodologies to assess an endemic bay population of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua)

The Gilbert Bay, Labrador, MPA (Marine Protected Area) was created in 2005 to protect a genomically distinct and locally adapted bay resident population of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) from commercial overfishing. Since then research showed that significant numbers of individuals migrate beyond MPA boundaries creating a concern that fishing continues to impact this endemic population. As part of research and MPA monitoring to assess the health of the protected cod population, lethal sampling of Gilbert Bay cod was conducted from 1998 to 2009 to gather length-at-age data from otoliths. Since then only non-lethal sampling methods were used so as to help conserve the protected population. This study was conducted to compare non-lethally (mark-recapture and length-frequency) obtained age and growth data with lethally (otolith-length-at-age) obtained data. The three methods produced similar results for the 1998 to 2009 period, and both of the non-lethal methods considered were consistent over the 20 year study, confirming their preference over lethal methods for this small endemic fish population.

Antibacterial Assessment of Biofabricated Magnesium Oxide Nanoparticles (MgO NPs) using Conocarpus erectus Leaf Extract

Nanobiotechnology is a proficient technology that concers with nano scale materials in several scientific fields such as nanotechnology, chemistry, medicines and biotechnology. A swift and sustainable synthesis of metal oxide nanoparticles by exhausting natural sources is the present-day trend being used instead of lethal biochemical methods. This study prsent the first report for the use of medicinal plant of Conocarpus erectus as an ecofriendly regent in the synthesis of CuO NPs using copper sulphate as a starting material. Conocarpus erectus leaf extract was used as a bioreductor as wll as a capping agent in the manufacturing of MgO NPs. The structure and morphology of prepared MgO NPs were characterized byXRD, UV, FTIR, HRTEM, SEM and EDX analysis. The UV-Vis measurment confimrd the formation of MgO NPs by giving SPR peak at 261 nm. The attendance of various functional groups in Conocarpus erectus leaf extract liable for the development and stabilization of MgO NPs were confirmed by FTIR analysis. XRD measurement confirmed the crystaline f.c.c structure of MgO NPs. HRTEM and SEM studies exhibited the small size, spherical shape and uniformly dispersed magnesium oxide nanoparticles. EDX profile further authorized the elemental composition of the synthesized nanoparticles. The biosynthesized MgO NPs were assessed for the embarrassment of bacteria. Furthermore, plant capped MgO NPs have high inhibition efficiency against S. aureus and E. coli with inhibition zones of 17 mm and 16 mm respectively.

Autism and self-harm: A population-based and discordant sibling study of young individuals.

Self-harm among young autistic individuals is a clinical challenge, and the risk of premature death by suicide is strongly increased in this group. Using the advantage of total-population and family-based data, we investigated whether autism per se is a risk factor for self-harm independently of psychiatric comorbidities and how it differs from self-harm in non-autistic individuals. We used The Stockholm Youth Cohort, a total-population register study, including all residents in Stockholm County aged 0-17 years between 2001 and 2011.Study participants were followed from age 10 to 27 for hospital admissions because of self-harm. We used modified Poisson regression to calculate relative risks (RR) using robust standard error to derive 95% confidence intervals (CI). In all, 410,732 individuals were included in the cohort (9,070 with a diagnosis of autism). Autistic individuals had a fivefold increased adjusted relative risk of self-harm (RR 5.0 [95% CI 4.4-5.6]). The risk increase was more pronounced for autism without intellectual disability and particularly high for self-cutting 10.2 [7.1-14.7] and more violent methods 8.9 [5.2-15.4]. The association between autism and self-harm was independent of, but clearly exacerbated by comorbid psychiatric conditions. It was of similar magnitude as risks linked to these conditions per se, and not explained by shared familial factors. Self-harm severe enough to present to medical services is as common in autistic youth as in those with depression or ADHD. Potentially more lethal methods are more likely to be used of autistic self-harmers.

Effect of different lethal temperature assay methods on thermal tolerance plasticity of three different breeds of mulberry silkworm (Bombyx mori L.)

BackgroundMulberry silkworm (Bombyx mori L.) is one of the best-studied insect models, regularly used as a type specimen for thermal tolerance experiments on insects. Still, the upper lethal limit of this lepidopteran has never been explored extensively using any sort of conventional lethal assay method. The present study deals with the employment of different lethal assay protocols for the study of survivorship of three different breeds of mulberry silkworm (B. mori) exposed to different temperatures (30–50 °C) and durations of stress (1–3 h) on different days (day 2, 4, and 6) of the fifth instar stage for formulating an extensive upper lethal temperature (ULT50 and ULT25) index.ResultsAmong treatment temperatures 30 °C, 35 °C, and 40 °C had a significant (p = < 0.0001) impact on the high-temperature survival rate of the silkworm. Among duration—1 h and 2 h influenced the survival rate significantly (p = < 0.0001). Plunging, one-way ramping, and two-way ramping assay methods seemed to exert a non-significant (Wald χ2 = 3.253, p = 0.197) influence on silkworm survival. F1 hybrid was found to exhibit the highest survivorship across different temperatures, followed by the multivoltine Nistari plain and then by the bivoltine breeds. In F1 hybrid silkworms, the upper lethal temperatures ULT50, varied within the range of 37 °C to 44 °C and ULT25 varied within the range of 40–47 °C. The mean upper lethal limit—ULT0 for all three breeds of mulberry silkworm, across all experimental groups, was computed to be ~ 49 °C.ConclusionsUltimately the overall thermal tolerance of mulberry silkworm exhibited a significant inter-breed variation based on the heterogeneous thermal plasticity of the three different breeds. The outcome of the present study in the form of upper lethal temperature ranges of the breeds under consideration can form the basis of future thermal stress experiments in mulberry silkworms.

Current state of methods for control the safety and potency of diphtheria toxoid and tetanus toxoid in combined vaccines

Current state of methods for control the safety and potency of diphtheria toxoid and tetanus toxoid in combined vaccines

Clinical Characteristics of Adolescents Hospitalized Through Emergency Room for Intentional Self-Harm or Suicide Attempts

ObjectivesThis study aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics of adolescents hospitalized through the emergency room for intentional self-harm or suicide attempts.MethodsThis retrospective study used data from the Korean National Hospital Discharge In-depth Injury Survey conducted between 2006 and 2018 for individuals aged 10–24 years. The clinical characteristics of the patients were analyzed and compared across sex and age groups using the Rao-Scott chi-square tests and multiple logistic regression analysis for complex survey data.ResultsThe most common psychiatric diagnosis was mood disorder (22.0%), and more female patients were diagnosed with it than male patients (p=0.010). The 19–24 years age group was diagnosed with mood disorder the most compared to other younger groups (p=0.012). Male patients used lethal methods more than female patients (p=0.008), and the 19–24 years age group used more drug poisoning and cutting or piercing (p<0.001) for intentional self-harm or suicide attempts than younger groups.ConclusionAdolescents hospitalized for intentional self-harm or suicide attempts showed significant differences in clinical characteristics across sex and age groups. These findings suggest that measures for preventing self-harm or suicide attempts need to be differentiated according to the sex and age of adolescents.

Adolescents With Non-Suicidal Self-Harm—Who Among Them Has Attempted Suicide?

We aimed to determine differences between adolescents with non-suicidal self-harm with and without a history of suicide attempt (SA). Sixty-eight adolescents with a mean age of 15.6 years (SD = 1.5) attending child and adolescent psychiatric outpatient clinics for repeated self-harm in Oslo, Norway, were included. A battery of instruments was used to assess sociodemographic information and psychopathology such as Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) diagnoses, emotional and behavioral problems, borderline symptoms, depression, hopelessness, suicidal ideation, and history of SA. Twenty-six participants (38.2%) reported a lifetime history of SA. Compared to the participants without a history of SA, those with an SA history had used a higher number of methods of self-harm and methods with higher lethality and had higher degrees of emotional and behavioral problems. They also scored higher in depressive symptoms, borderline pathology, emotional dysregulation, hopelessness, and suicidal ideation. History of SA was independently associated with perceived moderate to high risk of death on the most severe episode of self-harm (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 15.93; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.96–129.66), a longer duration (months) since self-harm debut (aOR, 1.07; 95% CI, 1.01–1.13), and suicidal ideation severity (aOR, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.01–1.11). Parental report of behavioral problems associated with SA suggested a strong association with externalizing problems. A combination of having a high level of psychopathology, externalizing problems, an extended history of self-harm behavior and use of more lethal self-harm methods seems to entail a significantly increased risk for making SAs among adolescents with non-suicidal self-harm. HIGHLIGHTS Non-suicidal self-harm (NSSH) with suicide attempt may be distinctive from NSSH without suicide attempt. Adolescents with NSSH with suicide attempt had relatively greater psychopathology. Protracted/lethal self-harm methods and externalizing problems indicate comorbidity.

Rodents in Agriculture: A Broad Perspective

There are thousands of rodent species in the world. While they provide a number of ecosystem functions, unfortunately, some species cause significant damage to agriculture. Rodent damage occurs to crops in the field, but also to stored foods, livestock feed, and structures. There are many methods available to reduce rodent populations and/or damage, including both lethal and non-lethal methods. There are advantages and disadvantages to most methods, and many are regulated by federal, state, and local ordinances. Public acceptance of the various methods also varies greatly. Examples and details of these topics are presented in this review.

Analysis of the relationships between the content of serotonin and noradrenalinе in the peripheral blood and the suicidal behavior

Laboratory blood testing is one of the most promising methods for determining the suicidal risk biomakers because some neurotransmitters and neuropeptides such as norepinephrine and serotonin can penetrate through the bloodbrain barrier. Three groups were formed: the persons who used the highly lethal methods of self-harm (PUHMS); the persons who made a suicidal attempt in different ways (PSA); the persons who experienced psychosocial stress and previously did not commit suicide attempts (comparison group, GS). The content of serotonin and norepinephrine in blood plasma was determined by the enzyme immunoassay on a Stat Fax 2100 spectrophotometer. The depression severity was assessed using the Montgomery‒Asbrega scale, the motivation to commit suicide was assessed using an analog scale. The highest level of serotonin and noradrenaline was observed in the PSA; in half of this group (50 %), depression was not determined, the motivation severity was statistically significantly lower than in the PUHMS, but higher than in the GS where the noradrenaline content in the peripheral blood was significantly higher than in the PUHMS. The lowest norepinephrine level was noted in the GLIVS where the serotonin level was within the physiological norm (the mean value is 60.4 ng/ml, the physiological norm is 50–220 ng/ml). In the GS, the serotonin level was below the physiological norm (36 ng/ml), and the depression severity corresponded to the PUHMS indicators, however, in the PUHMS, persons with severe depressive disorder predominated (PUHMS – 23.1 %, GS –12.3 %). The low levels of serotonin and norepinephrine in the peripheral blood may indicate the risk of committing suicide.

Accelerated epigenetic aging in suicide attempters uninfluenced by high intent-to-die and choice of lethal methods

Suicide attempts (SA) are associated with excess non-suicidal mortality, putatively mediated in part by premature cellular senescence. Epigenetic age (EA) estimators of biological age have been previously demonstrated to strongly predict physiological dysregulation and mortality risk. Herein, we investigate if violent SA with high intent-to-die is predictive of epigenetics-derived estimates of biological aging. The genome-wide methylation pattern was measured using the Illumina Infinium Methylation EPIC BeadChip in whole blood of 88 suicide attempters. Subjects were stratified into two groups based on the putative risk of later committed suicide (low- [n = 58] and high-risk [n = 30]) in dependency of SA method (violent or non-violent) and/or intent-to-die (high/low). Estimators of intrinsic and extrinsic EA acceleration, one marker optimized to predict physiological dysregulation (DNAmPhenoAge/AgeAccelPheno) and one optimized to predict lifespan (DNAmGrimAge/AgeAccelGrim) were investigated for associations to severity of SA, by univariate and multivariate analyses. The study was adequately powered to detect differences of 2.2 years in AgeAccelGrim in relation to SA severity. Baseline DNAmGrimAge exceeded chronological age by 7.3 years on average across all samples, conferring a mean 24.6% increase in relation to actual age. No individual EA acceleration marker was differentiated by suicidal risk group (p > 0.1). Thus, SA per se but not severity of SA is related to EA, implicating that excess non-suicidal mortality in SA is unrelated to risk of committed suicide. Preventative healthcare efforts aimed at curtailing excess mortality after SA may benefit from acting equally powerful to recognize somatic comorbidities irrespective of the severity inherent in the act itself.

P53-Mediated Indirect Regulation on Cellular Metabolism: From the Mechanism of Pathogenesis to the Development of Cancer Therapeutics.

The transcription factor p53 is the most well-characterized tumor suppressor involved in multiple cellular processes, which has expanded to the regulation of metabolism in recent decades. Accumulating evidence reinforces the link between the disturbance of p53-relevant metabolic activities and tumor development. However, a full-fledged understanding of the metabolic roles of p53 and the underlying detailed molecular mechanisms in human normal and cancer cells remain elusive, and persistent endeavor is required to foster the entry of drugs targeting p53 into clinical use. This mini-review summarizes the indirect regulation of cellular metabolism by wild-type p53 as well as mutant p53, in which mechanisms are categorized into three major groups: through modulating downstream transcriptional targets, protein-protein interaction with other transcription factors, and affecting signaling pathways. Indirect mechanisms expand the p53 regulatory networks of cellular metabolism, making p53 a master regulator of metabolism and a key metabolic sensor. Moreover, we provide a brief overview of recent achievements and potential developments in the therapeutic strategies targeting mutant p53, emphasizing synthetic lethal methods targeting mutant p53 with metabolism. Then, we delineate synthetic lethality targeting mutant p53 with its indirect regulation on metabolism, which expands the synthetic lethal networks of mutant p53 and broadens the horizon of developing novel therapeutic strategies for p53 mutated cancers, providing more opportunities for cancer patients with mutant p53. Finally, the limitations and current research gaps in studies of metabolic networks controlled by p53 and challenges of research on p53-mediated indirect regulation on metabolism are further discussed.

Firearms, Physicians, Families, and Kids: Finding Words that Work

Firearms, Physicians, Families, and Kids: Finding Words that Work

Evaluation of cytotoxic and antioxidant activities of different polarities extracts of Suaeda maritima

Suaeda maritima is a halophyte plant used in the Chinese traditional system to treat hepatic disease. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to prepare various extracts from the aerial parts of S. maritima and finally assess the cytotoxic and antioxidant activities of the various crude extracts. The leave powder was extracted with methanol and solvent was evaporated by the usual method. The extract sample was dissolved by the aqueous solvent and transferred into a separatory funnel and fractioned by organic solvents starting from hexane and followed the order dichloromethane > ethyl acetate > n-butanol to give the corresponding extracts. The antioxidant and cytotoxic activities of the prepared various extracts of S. maritima based on polarities were assessed by the well-known 2,2-diphenyl-1-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and brine shrimp lethality (BSL) methods. At five different concentrations of all prepared extracts of the selected S. maritima plant demonstrated strong antioxidant activity against the DPPH. The maximum antioxidant activity was found in the ethyl acetate, while the lowest activity was found in the methanol extract. On the other hand, the cytotoxic activity experimental results showed that the plant's various extracts at different concentrations gave significant activity. Among the crude extracts of S. maritima, all prepared extracts killed all nauplii at the highest concentration of 1000 μg/ml except methanol extract. All polarities crude extracts of this plant gave almost similar activity against the BSL method. Therefore, the extract or fractions with the highest antioxidant and cytotoxic activities could be used as a natural healing medicine for the treatment of diseases.

Increased incidence of high-lethality suicide attempts after the declaration of the state of alarm due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Salamanca: A real-world observational study

The coronavirus pandemic has led to people getting involved in harmful behaviors. In our observational study, we assessed 241 patients with suicidal thoughts or behaviors in the emergency room before, during, and after the lockdown, from January to July 2020. After the lockdown, retired patients made higher-lethality attempts, and consultations related to suicide were less frequent, but active suicidal behaviors were more frequent. Men tended to use more lethal methods, and women made more suicidal gestures and had more suicide-related consultations. We observed an increase in the lethality of the attempts after the declaration of the state of alarm.

Impact of Location on Predator Control Preference Patterns

In recent decades, interactions with carnivores have increased in suburban and urban areas. However, it is unknown how predator control preferences of urban, suburban, and rural residents compare. We sought to characterize predator control preferences regarding interactions with bobcats (Lynx rufus) and coyotes (Canis latrans), and compare these preferences among people living in urban, suburban, and rural areas. We also sought to determine the factors that predicted the likelihood of respondents changing their predator control preference. We conducted cross-sectional surveys of adult residents of the United States and the state of Ohio and embedded randomly assigned carnivore interaction scenarios in which respondents were asked to choose their preferred predator control in response to each scenario. We found that when both scenarios took place in an agricultural location, respondents became significantly more sensitive to changes in the severity (i.e., they were more likely to switch their preferred method of predator control). Subjects overwhelmingly indicated a preference for non-lethal forms of predator control. Specifically, 71.8% of respondents preferred non-lethal in response to both scenarios, 18.5% gave mixed responses (i.e., preferred lethal in response to one of the scenarios but non-lethal in response to the other scenario), and only 9.7% preferred lethal predator control in response to both scenarios. The tendency to prefer only non-lethal methods decreased along the urban-rural gradient such that 78.5% of urban respondents expressed a consistent preference for non-lethal forms of control, compared with 72.8% of suburban respondents, and 51.3% rural respondents. This suggests that most urban and suburban residents view lethal predator control methods as simply inappropriate—at least for the scenarios described. In practice, the management of human-carnivore interactions in urban and suburban areas is complicated by a variety of factors (e.g., the presence and density of humans and their pets) which reduce the flexibility of wildlife managers in these areas. Additionally, management options may be further restricted by the preferences of residents, especially given that management is likely to be more visible in these areas. Strong preferences against lethal control in urban and suburban settings may incentivize the development of novel methods for controlling human-carnivore conflicts in the future.