Citation

Shields LB, Hunsaker DM, Hunsaker JC. Forensic Sci. Med. Pathol. 2006; 2(4): 253-262.

Affiliation

Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, Urban Government Center, 810 Barret Avenue, 40204, Louisville, KY.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2006, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1385/FSMP:2:4:253

PMID

25868771

Abstract

The suicide rate in the United States is consistently higher in the elderly (>-65 years) than among younger cohorts, reaching approx 5500 deaths in 2002. In this article, we present a 10-year (1993-2002) retrospective review of 348 Kentucky medical examiner cases ascribed to suicide between 65 and 96 years. Most victims were males (86.8%) and Caucasian (98.9%). The predominant cause of death was firearm injury (80.7%), followed by hanging (4.9%) and overdose (4.3%). The pervasiveness of elderly suicide by firearm requires a multidisciplinary approach to the recognition of indicators and the development of strategies for treatment and prevention of suicide in at-risk elders.

Language: en