Epidemiology and psychiatric morbidity of suicidal ideation among the elderly.
This study investigates the epidemiology and psychiatric morbidity of the wish to be dead, suicidal ideation, and suicidal intent in a group of elderly persons (> 70 years). A representative community sample of 516 persons aged 70 to 105 was extensively investigated by psychiatrists using the structured interview GMS-A and various other self-rating and observer-rating scales. Diagnoses were made according to DSM-III-R and clinical judgment. In a cross-section of this population, we found the following prevalence rates: At the time of the study, 14.7% of the elderly community had symptoms of tiredness of life, 5.4% wished to die, and 1% showed suicidal ideation or gestures. Depending on the intensity of suicidality, 80% to 100% were clinically diagnosed as suffering from psychiatric disorders and 50-75% showed symptoms fulfilling the criteria of at least one specific psychiatric diagnosis. Further, logistic regression analysis showed a significant influence of major depression and specific DSM-III-R diagnosis on suicidality in old age. Our conclusion is that suicidal ideation in the elderly is usually a sign of a mental illness warranting diagnosis and treatment rather than assisted suicide.
Barnow
S
S
Hospital for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at the Ernst Moritz Arndt University, Greifswald, Germany. barnow@mail.uni-greifswald.de
Linden
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M
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001293:Attitude to Death; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D013405:Suicide / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013850:Thinking