Suicide in older people: mode of death, demographic factors, and medical contact before death

Abstract

Older men are at higher risk of suicide than women. Given the high proportion of drug overdoses in the sample, effective strategies to prevent suicide in older people might include improving the prescribing of analgesics and antidepressants. Although older people at risk of suicide often consult their GP shortly before death, GPs may have difficulty identifying those at risk because of the high proportion of physical complaints.