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Cited by 360Suicide and Self-Harm StudiesAging, Health, and DisabilityHomicide, Infanticide, and Child Abuse

Predictors of suicide in the old elderly

Waern, Margda, Rubenowitz, Eva, Wilhelmson, Katarina·2003·Gerontology
DOI 10.1159/000071715
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Abstract

Background: Seniors aged 75 and above have the highest suicide rates of all age groups in most industrialized countries. However, research concerning risk factors for suicide in the old elderly is sparse. Objective: The purpose was to determine predictors for suicide among the old elderly (75+). Data concerning the young elderly (65–74 years) are shown for comparison. Methods: 85 consecutive cases of suicide that occurred in western Sweden and 153 control persons with the same sex, birth year, and zip code as the suicide cases were randomly selected from the tax register. The old elderly group included 38 cases and 71 controls; the young elderly group included 47 cases and 82 controls. Data concerning the suicide cases were collected through interviews with close informants; controls were interviewed in person. The interview included questions on past-year life events and mental and physical health. Medical records were reviewed for cases and controls. The Cumulative Illness Rating Scale – Geriatrics was used to rate illness burden. Results: Family conflict, serious physical illness, loneliness, and both major and minor depressions were associated with suicide in the 75+ group. Economic problems predicted suicide in the younger but not in the older elderly. Old elderly suicide victims with depression (major or minor) were less likely to have received depression treatment than their younger counterparts. Conclusions: Better recognition and treatment of both major and minor depression should constitute an important target for the prevention of suicide in the old elderly. Intervention studies with large numbers of senior participants are sorely needed.

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Crossref · 10.1159/000071715

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31 of 31 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • Only three studies (with four publications) examined suicide/fatal suicidal behavior.

    “Only three studies (with four publications) examined suicide/fatal suicidal behavior [38,40,41,42].”

    From A systematic review of social factors and suicidal behavior in older adulthood (2012) · cites this paper as [42]

  • No difference between younger (65-74 years) and older (75+) age groups was found with regards to living alone in Waern analyses.

    “found no difference between the two groups with regards to living alone [42].”

    From A systematic review of social factors and suicidal behavior in older adulthood (2012) · cites this paper as [42]

  • Residential change over the past two years was not associated with death by suicide in the Swedish study by Rubenowitz, nor in Waern age-stratified analyses.

    “Residential change over the past two years was not associated with death by suicide in the Swedish study by Rubenowitz [40], nor when Waern conducted separate analyses for those aged 65–74 years and those aged above 75 [42].”

    From A systematic review of social factors and suicidal behavior in older adulthood (2012) · cites this paper as [42]

  • Both younger (65-74) and older (75+) suicide decedents were significantly less involved in organizations than sex- and age-matched comparisons in the Waern study.

    “Waern noted that both younger (65–74) and older (75+) suicide decedents were significantly less involved in such activities than sex- and age-matched comparisons from the general population [42].”

    From A systematic review of social factors and suicidal behavior in older adulthood (2012) · cites this paper as [42]

  • Loneliness was associated with increased risk for both non-fatal and fatal suicidal behavior in Swedish studies.

    “Loneliness—the inner, subjective experience of social disconnectedness—was examined in two Swedish studies (across three publications), documenting increased risk for both non-fatal and fatal suicidal behavior [39,40,42].”

    From A systematic review of social factors and suicidal behavior in older adulthood (2012) · cites this paper as [42]

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Authors
Waern, M., Rubenowitz, E., & Wilhelmson, K.
Affiliations
University of Gothenburg (SE)
ORCID
Wilhelmson, Katarina
Venue
Gerontology
Publisher
S. Karger AG
Published
2003
Volume
49
Issue
5
Pages
328-334
ISSN
  • 0304-324X (ISSN-L)
  • 1423-0003
DOI
10.1159/000071715
OpenAlex
W2086377562
Cited by
360
References
31
Citations by year
2026: 6 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 22 · 2022: 16 · 2021: 16 · 2020: 17 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 19 · 2017: 18 · 2016: 17 · 2015: 24 · 2014: 26 · 2013: 24 · 2012: 19
FWCI
12.40
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
Locations
  • Gerontology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Suicide and Self-Harm Studies
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Aging, Health, and Disability
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Homicide, Infanticide, and Child Abuse
Keywords
suicide, oldest old, older adults, risk factors, depression, family conflict, loneliness, physical illness, economic problems, depression treatment, suicide prevention, life events, mental health
MeSH terms
Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Mental Disorders, Female, Health Status, Humans, Life Change Events, Male, Predictive Value of Tests, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Psychophysiologic Disorders, Surveys and Questionnaires, Social Support, Suicide, Sweden, Odds Ratio, Case-Control Studies

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