title: Suicide rates: age-associated trends and their correlates.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Suicide rates traditionally increased with ageing. There is a paucity of studies examining factors associated with age-associated trends in suicide rates.
  
  
  METHODS
  The relationship between suicide rates and ageing was examined by ascertaining suicide rates in the seven age-bands 16-24 years to 75+ years from the World Health Organisation for 97 countries. The relationship between socio-economic status, income inequality, health-care expenditure, child mortality rates and life expectancy and countries with an increase, a decline and no change in suicide rates with ageing was examined using data from the United Nations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In males and females there was a decline in 5 and 10 countries, an increase in 33 and 37 countries and no change in 59 and 50 countries respectively in suicide rates with ageing. Age-associated trends in suicide rates were significantly associated with socio-economic status (males) or income inequality (females), per capita expenditure in healthcare, the proportion of gross-national domestic product spent on healthcare, child mortality rates and life expectancy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The current study, of factors associated with age-associated trends in suicide rates, confirmed a previously developed five sequential stage model to explain the relationship between elderly suicide rates and socio-economic status and income inequality, quality and quantity of healthcare services, child mortality rates and life expectancy.
authors.affiliation: International School for Communities, Rights and Inclusion, University of Central Lancashire, Preston and Consultant Psychiatrist, West London Mental Health NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom. ajit.shah@wlmht.nhs.uk
authors.forename: Ajit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shah
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D046688:Child Mortality; D005260:Female; D059066:Gross Domestic Product; D005102:Health Expenditures; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D008017:Life Expectancy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012923:Social Class; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends*; D014944:World Health Organization; D055815:Young Adult