TY  - JOUR
PY  - 1997//
TI  - One hundred cases of attempted suicide in the elderly
JO  - British journal of psychiatry
A1  - Hepple, J.
A1  - Quinton, C.
SP  - 42
EP  - 46
VL  - 171
IS  - 
N2  - BACKGROUND: Despite the high suicide rate in the elderly, there is a relative lack of information on the longer-term outcome of elderly people who have attempted suicide, particularly their psychiatric and physical morbidity and mortality. METHOD: Comprehensive demographic and psychiatric data were available on 100 consecutive referrals to a liaison psychiatric service of patients over 65 years of age who attempted suicide between 1989 and 1992. Detailed follow-up in 1994 included the interviewing of survivors using GMS-AGECAT. RESULTS: Of the 64 women and 36 men, with a mean age of 75.8 years, 42 subjects were dead at follow-up; 12 were suspected suicides, five having died as a delayed result of their index attempt. Twelve women made a further non-lethal suicide attempt. All five male repeat attempts proved fatal. CONCLUSIONS: Elderly people who attempt suicide have a high mortality both from completed suicide and death from other causes. The completed suicide rate is at least 1.5% per year, and the repetition rate is 5.4% per year. Those at risk of further self-harm are likely to be in contact with psychiatric services and to be suffering from persistent depression.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0007-1250
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/
ID  - ref1
ER  -