Citation

Shah A, Bhatt R, McKenzie S, Koen C. Journal of Chinese Clinical Medicine 2009; 4(4): 213-217.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Socio-economic status and income inequality influences cross-national variations in elderly suicide rates.

METHODS: Data from an earlier study were re-analysed using multiple linear regression to identify independent predictors of elderly suicide rates in males and females in the age-hands 65-74 years and 75 +years. This was considered necessary because the correlates of suicide rates including (i) measures of socio-economic status [per capita gross national domestic product (GDP)] and income inequality (the Gini coeffecient), (ii) measures the quality and quantity of available healthcare services (the proportion of GDP spent on health, per capita expenditure on health and child mortality rates), and (iii) life expectancy were all inter-correlated.

RESULTS: The Gini coefficient was the only significant independent predictor of suicide rates in all the four groups (i.e. males and females in the age-bands of 65-74 years and 75+years).

CONCLUSION: This independent association between elderly suicide rates and income inequality, as measured by the Gini coefficient, provided support for the previously proposed aetiological hypothesis with a five sequential stage model. However, there may also be other pathways, in addition to the five sequential stage model, independently influencing elderly suicide rates.

Language: en

Keywords

human; suicide; female; male; aged; aging; sex difference; prediction; life expectancy; article; controlled study; health care quality; multivariate analysis; groups by age; health status; health care cost; social status; Suicide rates; income; correlation coefficient; childhood mortality; Socio-economic status; Elderly suicides; Proverty