@article{ref1,
title="Rational suicide in late life: a systematic review of the literature",
journal="Medicina (Lithuania)",
year="2019",
author="Gramaglia, Carla and Calati, Raffaella and Zeppegno, Patrizia",
volume="55",
number="10",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="<i>Background and Objectives</i>: The complex concept of rational suicide, defined as a well-thought-out decision to die by an individual who is mentally competent, is even more controversial in the case of older adults.   <i>Materials and Methods</i>: With the aim of better understanding the concept of rational suicide in older adults, we performed a systematic review of the literature, searching PubMed and Scopus databases and eventually including 23 published studies.   <i>Results</i>: The main related topics emerging from the papers were: depression, self-determination, mental competence; physicians' and population's perspectives; approach to rational suicide; ageism; slippery slope.   <i>Conclusions</i>: Despite contrasting positions and inconsistencies of the studies, the need to carefully investigate and address the expression of suicidal thoughts in older adults, as well as behaviours suggesting &quot;silent&quot; suicidal attitudes, clearly emerges, even in those situations where there is no diagnosable mental disorder. While premature conclusions about the &quot;rationality&quot; of patients' decision to die should be avoided, the possibility of rational suicide cannot be precluded.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1010-660X",
doi="10.3390/medicina55100656",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/medicina55100656"
}