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Citation |
Grabbe L, Demi A, Camann MA, Potter L. Am. J. Public Health 1997; 87(3): 434-437. |
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Affiliation |
School of Nursing, Georgia State University, Atlanta 30302-4019, USA. |
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Copyright |
(Copyright © 1997, American Public Health Association) |
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DOI |
unavailable |
PMID |
9096548 |
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PMCID |
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Abstract |
OBJECTIVES: This study identified health status variables related to suicide by elderly persons and compared the health status of suicide decedents with natural death and injury decedents. METHODS: Data were obtained from the 1986 National Mortality Followback Survey. RESULTS: When other variables were controlled for, suicide decedents were significantly more likely than injury decedents to have a history of cancer (odds ratio [OR] = 51.94), moderate (OR = 29.37) or heavy (OR = 22.87) alcohol use, and mental or emotional disorder (OR = 10.91) and to be White (OR = 18.54) and male (OR = 9.12). CONCLUSIONS: The findings indicate that a history of cancer should be considered as a risk for suicide in the elderly. |