title: Stemming the tide of suicide in older white men: a call to action.
abstract: Preventing suicide has been identified as a national priority by recent commissions in the United States. Despite increased awareness of suicide as a public health problem, suicide in older adults remains a neglected topic in prevention strategies and research. This is especially true regarding elderly White men, who in terms of suicide rates have represented the most at-risk age group for the past half century. In light of the unprecedented aging of the United States as the baby boom generation enters late adulthood, suicide prevention initiatives that focus on aging males are needed to prevent a national crisis in geriatric mental health. This article provides a brief review of the perennially under-recognized reality of suicide in older men and prevention strategies that, if implemented, might help stem this rising tide of suicide in this vulnerable population.
authors.affiliation: Program for Recovery and Community Health, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06513, USA. Timothy.Schmutte@yale.edu
authors.forename: Timothy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schmutte
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: O'Connell
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weiland
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lawless
authors.forename: Larry
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Davidson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003863:Depression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D013405:Suicide / Q000639:trends; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D044465:White People; D055815:Young Adult; D000092864:Suicide Prevention