Citation

Dennis MS, Wakefield P, Molloy C, Andrews H, Friedman T. Aging Ment. Health 2007; 11(5): 520-525.

Affiliation

Psychiatry for the Elderly, University of Leicester, Leicester General Hospital, Leicester, UK.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2007, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

10.1080/13607860601086611

PMID

17882589

Abstract

Data was collected on seventy-six older people who presented to a specialist self-harm team. Data included: diagnosis, suicide intent, motives for self-harm, social contacts and life events and difficulties. The majority of elderly who harmed themselves had high suicide intent and 69% were depressed. Patients were frequently living alone with an isolated life-style and poor physical health. Depressed self-harm subjects had higher suicide intent scores than non-depressed and to gain relief from an unbearable state of mind was a frequently recorded motive for these patients. Other motives for self-harm appear to be similar between depressed and non-depressed self-harmers. It is important that older people who self-harm receive an appropriate assessment of both risk and need by an experienced mental-health professional skilled at recognising depression in later life. The need for adequate recognition and management of depression in older people in primary care is also highlighted.

Language: en