Suicidal Ideas and Behavior in Contrasted Generations: Evidence From a Community Mental Health Survey

A comparison has been made of young (aged 18-24) & old (60 plus) subjects in a community mental survey of 679 adults in Calgary, Alberta. Young people had significantly poorer mental health than the elderly, and also reported more suicidal ideas and behavior in their lifetime. Assuming that these findings can be generalized to a wider population, the results imply a steady increase in suicidal behavior as the present generation of young people become older.