Citation

Shah A. Int. Psychogeriatr. 2007; 19(6): 1141-1152.

Affiliation

West London Mental Health NHS Trust and Imperial College School of Medicine, London, U.K.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2007, Cambridge University Press)

DOI

10.1017/S1041610207005285

PMID

17433118

Abstract

Background: Suicide rates generally increase with age. With the emergence of studies from several countries without an increase in suicides rates with aging, a cross-national study examining the relationship between suicide rates and age was undertaken. Methods: The relationship between suicide rates and age was examined by ascertaining suicide rates in both sexes in seven age-bands 16-24 years, 25-34 years, 35-44 years, 45-54 years, 55-64 years, 65-74 years and 75+ years, from the World Health Organization website for all the listed countries (N = 62). Results: The main findings were: (i) there was a significant increase in suicide rates with increasing age in males and females in 25 and 27 countries respectively; (ii) there was no significant increase in suicide rates with increasing age in males and females in 31 and 29 countries respectively; (iii) suicide rates were the highest in the younger age-bands in countries without a significant increase in male suicides rates with increasing age; (iv) countries without a significant increase in the suicide rate with increasing age in both sexes, females only and males only demonstrated regional clustering; and, (v) in a small number of countries suicide rates declined with increasing age. Conclusions: Potential explanations for regional and cross-national variations in the relationship between suicide rates and age require further study.

Language: en