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Abstract
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OBJECTIVE: This study examined the impact of history of previous suicide behavior on elderly suicide in Singapore.
METHODS: In this coroner register-based study, characteristics of 409 elderly who died of suicide in Singapore between 2000 to 2004 were examined.
RESULTS: Sixty-five subjects were classified with history of previous suicide behavior and 344 subjects without history of suicide behavior. Elderly who died of suicide with past history of suicide behavior were more likely to suffer from major psychiatric disorders (26.2% vs 10.2% p = 0.001), encounter social problems in life (33.9% vs 21.5% p = 0.038), have alcohol detected in the blood toxicology report at autopsy (23.1% vs. 12.8% p = 0.036), receive psychiatric treatment in the past (60% vs. 37.5%, p < 0.001), presence of antidepressant in the blood toxicology report at autopsy (16.9% vs. 8.1% p = 0.037) and be admitted to a mental hospital under the mental health legislation (36.9% vs. 11.6% p < 0.001). Conversely, those without past history of suicide behavior were more likely to have pre-suicidal plan for the fatal suicide act (11.1% vs. 1.5% p = 0.011) and receive medical or surgical treatment in the past (22.1% vs. 9.2% p = 0.018).
CONCLUSION: For suicide prevention in Asians, psychiatrists should aggressively treat major psychiatric disorders; engage social service to resolve social problems in elderly with history of suicide behavior and reduce access to alcohol. Clinicians working in medical or surgical departments should routinely screen for suicide plan in elderly without past history of suicide behavior.
Language: en |