Repetition and Severity of Suicide Attempts Across the Life Cycle: a Comparison by age Group Between Suicide Victims & Controls With Severe Depression

This study inveistgated the reduced incidence for initial, repeated, or severe suicide attempts with age in suicide victims & controls by gender. The records of 100 suicide victims & matched controls with severe depression admitted to Lund University Hospital, Sweden between 1956-1969 were evaluated & subjects monitored up to 2006. The occurrence of suicide attempts was analysed by gender. There was a reduced risk for an initial suicide attempt by older age in females in both groups & male controls, but not victims. The risk for repeated suicide attempts appeared to be reduced in older age groups in female controls compared to female victims. The risk for severe attempts seemed reduced in older age groups in female victims. This risk was also reduced in male controls & in male controls compared to male victims. (53 refs.)