One hundred cases of attempted suicide in the elderly.
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.


METHODS
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.
Hepple
J
J
Department of Psychological Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford.
Quinton
C
C
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003156:Community Mental Health Services; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D011379:Prognosis; D012008:Recurrence; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*