Citation

Winsloev JH, Fleischer E. Psychiatr. Danub. 2006; 18(Suppl 1): 156.

Affiliation

Center for Geropsychology, University of Aarhus, Skovagervej 2, bygn. 14a, 2.sal, 8240, Risskov, Denmark. jhw@psykiatri.aaa.dk.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2006, Facultas Universitatis Studiorum Zagrabiensis - Danube Symposion of Psychiatry)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

16964173

Abstract

In 2001 more than one quarter of suicides in Denmark were committed by the elderly and the suicide-rate for the oldest-old shows an increasing tendency. Well-documented risk-factors are stress-inducing events as well as life-conditions that impair the coping-resources, e.g. weakened health. A risk increasing condition is also depressive states and disorders, in spite of improved antidepressant treatment. Two overall objectives:1) To study the developments of adversity in late life, focusing on coping in relation to available resources; social, psychological and public resources. 2) To study the antidepressant treatment, focusing on choice of treatment, compliance, social support and assessment of treatment-effect. Three groups of +70 years olds will be compared: a) 50 people who have committed suicide, b) 50 people in antidepressant treatment, without a history of suicidal attempts and c) 50 people without a history of psychiatric treatment. Participants will be comparable on sex, age and health. Data will be obtained through semi-structured interviews on life-history and life-events in late life, medical and psychiatric journals, rating of personality (NEO-PI) and blood-samples from participants in a). The presentation will discuss methodological and ethical issues in relation to gerontological suicidology and the present study.

Language: en