Suicide in Elderly Patients (IN: Diagnosis and Treatment of Depression in Late Life: Results of the NIH Consensus Development Conference, edited by L S Schneider et al)

This chapter addresses what is known clinically about elderly suicide. Epidemiological data is reviewed which shows elderly persons, particularly white males, are at especially high risk of suicide. Studies are reviewed which show the majority of older people who kill themselves have late-onset, unipolar major depressive disorders for which treatments are available & prognosis is good. Available data suggest strongly that improving the timely recognition & treatment of affective illness may lower suicide rates in elderly persons. Areas are outlined where additional research into the determinants of late-life suicide & its relationship to affective illness is needed. (93 refs.)