Local Community Intervention Through Depression Screening and Group Activity for Elderly Suicide Prevention

This study evaluated outcomes of a community-based program to prevent suicide among the elderly using a quasi-experimental design with 2 neighbouring references. During 1999-2004, the public health nurses in the Minami district of Nagawa town, rural Japan, conducted the program including depression screening & group activity. The risk for MinamiÕs elderly females was reduced by 74% more than the historical trend, while there were no change in risk of MinamiÕs males & nor in the male or female references. (12 refs)