Resource Tag: AGED

This study explored whether childlessness has any significant association with elderly suicide & whether this differs between women & men. Data were extracted from coroners’ inquests in Cheshire. No significant gender difference in childlessness in elderly suicide victims (aged 60 & over) was found. The protective effect of having children appeared to diminish in old […]

A review of state-level long-term assessment instruments was conducted to determine whether veteran status & suicide are assessed. Data from 43 state’s Units on Aging instruments were content analyzed. Results indicate that over two-thirds of the states in this review included questions about suicide & veterans in their assessments, 69.8 percent & 67.4 percent respectively. […]

This case-control study examined cognitive function in general & executive functioning specifically in depressed elderly with & without suicide ideation & attempts. 32 suicidal depressed participants age 60 & older were compared with 32 non-suicidal depressed participants. The 2 groups were comparable in terms of severity of depression & burden of physical illness. Suicidal participants […]

This guide was designed for family members & other people who provide social support to older adults. The purpose of the guide is to help individuals recognize suicide risk factors & warning signs, & to know what to do if an older adult is at risk for suicide. JA

The association between a decline in elderly suicide rates in England & Wales & changes in the prescribing of psychotropics for the period 1985-1996 was studied. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient was used to examine this relationship. Highly significant negative correlations were found between elderly suicide rates & tricyclic antidepressants, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, antimanics, antipsychotics, […]

A literature review was carried out focussing on the main factors associated with suicide ideation, attempts, & completed suicide in elders. 52 references, published between 1980-2008, were selected & analyzed. They showed a strong relationship among suicide ideation, attempt, & completion in elderly individuals, which results from the interaction of complex physical, mental, neurobiological, & […]

This study examined the role of cerebrovascular risk factors in late-life suicide. The authors calculated a cerebrovascular risk factor score for each case & comparison subject from a psychological autopsy study of suicide among community-dwelling adults over age 50 years. Scores were significantly higher in suicide cases than community-dwelling comparison subjects after accounting for age, […]

This study examined coroner’s inquest records of 200 elderly people in Cheshire who died by suicide. Sociodemographic characteristics, clinical aspects of the suicidal process, & health care contact before death are reviewed. Findings are interpreted & compared to the currently available literature on elderly suicide. Later life suicide is characterised by less warning, higher lethality, […]

In this letter to the editor, the authors discuss the high rate of suicide among older prisoners after release. It is asserted that this is another reason for geriatricians, psychogeriatricians, & prison medical services to provide an integrated care model to meet their needs. (5 refs.)

In this editorial, the author briefly reviews a number of articles in the September 2006 issue of the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. It is noted that most of the studies described treatment-seeking samples predominated by female participants. The subgroup at highest risk, elderly white males, remain a challenge with respect to refining risk & […]

This study examined the relationship between prescribing patterns of individual psychotropic drugs & suicide rates by specific methods among the elderly. There was a negative correlation between the prescription of tricyclic antidepressants, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, antipsychotics, antimanic drugs, & nonopiate analgesics & a decline in elderly suicides by poisoning, hanging, strangulation, drowning, firearms, & […]

This book has 3 parts. The first examines cognitive theory & empirical research, including chapters on the classification & assessment of suicide ideation & suicidal acts, the correlates of & risk factors for suicidal acts, a cognitive model of suicidal acts, & evidence-based treatments for the prevention of suicidal acts. Part two is on the […]

First-time psychiatric outpatients in Hong Kong responded to the Geriatric Depression Scale (4-, 5-, & 15-item versions). The performance of the scales was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic curves. Analyses were conducted separately for young-old (60-74 years) & old-old (aged 75 & older) adults. Both the 4- & the 5-item versions were found to be […]

This study examined the association between a trend of decline in age-specific suicide rates in the elderly in England & Wales & changes in various health & social factors for the period, 1985-1998. Changes in the number of general practitioners & hospital medical staff, the hospital psychiatric services, the number of local authority staff, & […]

In this letter to the editor, the authors discuss the importance of communication with social care services when assessing elderly patients. They are more likely than specialist mental health teams to know the older person well through their provision of services related to disability or long-term conditions. General practitioners also have much to contribute because […]

The authors tested the hypothesis that reasons for living are inversely related to suicide ideation. This report is a secondary analysis of cross-sectional data from a sample of 125 adults 50 years & older receiving treatment for a mood disorder. Patients who reported higher levels of fear of suicide were less likely to report suicide […]

This article explores known risk correlates of suicide in the elderly, epidemiologic & demographic factors as well as social, physical, & mental health aspects. The article then reviews the relationship between suicidal manifestations & antidepressants & concludes with a practical management strategy for the elderly given the current evidence base. (33 refs.)

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This cross-sectional study evaluated the role of several variables hypothesized in prior research to be associated with suicide in older adults. A psychological autopsy study of 99 elderly suicide victims, age 65 & older, in the province of Parma & Piacenza who died between 1994-2004 was done. 134 younger suicide victims (younger adults, aged less […]

This study examined the timing of suicide among elderly & middle-aged persons after their final hospitalization & examined characteristics of suicides in relation to the timing of suicide. Data were examined for 370 Northern Finnish middle-aged (50-64 years) & 194 elderly (65 years or older) suicide victims. Compared with elderly persons whose suicide occurred more […]

The impact of a care management intervention on suicide ideation & depression in older primary care patients was evaluated. Study participants were 599 patients 60 years or older with major or minor depression selected from practices randomly assigned to provide either the intervention or usual care. The intervention consisted of 15 trained care managers who […]

Suicide rates in older people in the United Kingdom have steadily declined for both genders since the mid-1980s. The current challenge is to sustain this downward trend. The importance of removal of means as a suicide prevention strategy has been emphasized as being one of the most practicable & effective of policies for suicide reduction. […]

In these letters to the editor, the authors comment on a study, published in 2009, by Purandare & colleagues on suicide in dementia. Questions are raised about the study design. The reply of Purandare & colleagues follows.