Suicide in the elderly: an epidemiologic study

• Author(s): Santos,Mariana Cristina Lobato dos ; Giusti,Barbara Bartuciotti ; Yamamoto,Clarissa Ayri ; Ciosak,Suely Itsuko ; Szylit,Regina
• Date: 2021
• Origin: Oasisbr
• Subject(s): Aged; Suicide; Epidemiology; Geriatric Nursing
• Document Type: Journal article
• Language: English

Description

ABSTRACT Objective: To analyze the incidence and means of elderly suicide in Brazil. Method: Epidemiologic, cross-sectional, quantitative, and retrospective study. The data were obtained in a platform maintained by the Ministry of Health and analyzed. The mortality rate was calculated and means and percentages regarding the employed means of suicide were obtained. Results: In this period, 8,977 suicides took place among the population over 60 years. The highest suicide rates were concentrated in the population over 80, which presented a mean 8.4/100,000 for this period, and between 70 and 79 years, with a mean rate of 8.2/100,000. Considering the total elderly population over 60 years, this value reached 7.8/100,000, whereas in the general population this was 5.3/100,000. The values are always higher among the elderly population: the mean rate in the last five years among the elderly is 47.2% higher than the mean for the general population. The main mean of suicide was hanging (68%), followed by firearm (11%), self-intoxication (9%), falling from a high place (5%), and undefined or undetermined means (6%). Conclusion: Epidemiologic analyses bring visibility to the dyad aging and suicide, corroborating the pertinence of this theme.