Attempted suicide in the elderly in England: age-associated rates, time trends and methods

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Critical study of attempted suicides may allow greater understanding of completed suicides because of the considerable overlap between attempted and completed suicides in the elderly. METHODS: Age-associated rates (60-74 years versus 75+ years), trends over time and methods of attempted suicide in the elderly in England were examined using recently collected national data for a nine-year period. RESULTS: The rate of attempted suicides in the 60-74 years age-band increased over the nine-year study period. Rates of intentional self-poisoning by and exposure to non-opiod analgesics, antipyretics and antirheumatics, intentional self-poisoning by and exposure to narcotics and psychodysleptics and intentional self-poisoning by and exposure to other drugs acting on the autonomic nervous system increased over the nine-year study period in both elderly age-bands. The rates and the frequency of intentional self-poisoning by and exposure to non-opiod analgesics, antipyretics and antirheumatics and intentional self-harm by sharp objects were higher in the 75+ years age-band compared to the 60-74 years age-band. The rates and frequency of intentional self-poisoning by and exposure to other drugs acting on the autonomic nervous system, intentional self-poisoning by and exposure to alcohol and intentional self-harm by smoke, fire and flames were higher in the 60-74 year age-band compared to the 75+ years age-band. CONCLUSIONS: There is a need to develop strategies to reduce access to targetted methods of attempted suicide in elderly that are most prevalent and increasing over time.