title: Suicide in centenarians: the international landscape.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The elderly population size is growing worldwide due increased life expectancy and decreased mortality in the elderly. This has lead to an increase in the number of centenarians, and their numbers are predicted to increase further. Little is known about suicide rates in centenarians.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data on the number of suicides (ICD-10 codes, X60-84) in entenarians of both gender for as many years as possible from 2000 were ascertained from three sources: colleagues, national statisics office websites and e-mail contact with the national statistics offices of as many countries as possible. The number of centernarians for the corresponding years was estimated for each country using data provided by the United Nations website.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Data were available from 17 countries. The suicide rate was 57 (95% confidence interval 45-69) per 100, 000 person years in men and 6.8 (95% confidence interval 5.1-8.5) per 100,000 person years in women.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Suicide rates were sufficiently large amongst centenarians for there to constitute a public health concern given the anticipated rise in the centenarian population and the paucity of data on risk and protective factors for suicide in this age group.
authors: School of Health, University of Central Lancashire, London, UK.
authors: Ajit
authors: A
authors: Shah
authors: Trainee Psychiatrist, St Charles Hospital, London, UK.
authors: Sofia
authors: S
authors: Zarate-Escudero
authors: Rural Health Academic Centre, University of Melbourne, Shepparton, Victoria, Australia.
authors: Ravi
authors: R
authors: Bhat
authors: Australian Institute for Suicide Research and Prevention, Griffith University, Mt Gravatt, Australia.|Slovene Centre for Suicide Research, University of Primorska, Koper, Slovenia.
authors: Diego
authors: D
authors: De Leo
authors: Research Unit, Mental Health Centre Copenhagen, Capital Region of Denmark, Denmark.
authors: Annette
authors: A
authors: Erlangsen
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000369:Aged, 80 and over / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D014943:Global Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012737:Sex Factors; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*