According to Statistics Canada, in 1997, the rate of suicide for older adults was 23.0/100000 for men, & 4.5/100000 for women over the age of 65. Some of the risk factors commonly associated with suicide in later life are: increasing age, poorly managed chronic pain, depression, fear of being forced to move to a nursing home, & being male, especially, Caucasian male. Among adults at any age, the risk ratio of suicide for people with substance use problems or dependence is 5.5 times higher, compared to people without these problems. (LC) (9 refs)