Citation

Conwell Y, Duberstein PR, Cox C, Herrmann J, Forbes N, Caine ED. Am. J. Geriatr. Psychiatry 1998; 6(2): 122-126.

Affiliation

University of Rochester School of Medicine, NY, USA. yconwell@cc.urmc.rochester.edu

Copyright

(Copyright © 1998, American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry, Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1097/00019442-199805000-00005

PMID

9581207

Abstract

The authors described retrospectively the premorbid self destructive behaviors of suicide victims to determine whether these behaviors differ with age. One hundred forty one suicide victims, age 21-92 years, were studied by psychological autopsy. Older age was significantly associated with more determined and planful self-destructive acts, less violent methods, and fewer warnings of suicidal intent. Age differences in the behaviors leading to suicide indicate that intervention in the midst of a suicidal crisis may be less effective in elderly persons than in younger people. Primary prevention should be the focus of efforts to decrease suicide rates in late life.

Language: en