Key Considerations for Preventing Suicide in Older Adults

Erlangsen, Annette; Nordentoft, Merete; Conwell, Yeates; Wærn, Margda; Leo, Diego De; Lindner, Reinhard; Oyama, Hirofumi; Sakashita, Tomoe; Andersen‐Ranberg, Karen; Quinnett, Paul; Draper, Brian; Lapierre, Sylvie

doi:10.1027/0227-5910/a000053

Cited by 85 publications

(52 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…Our findings reinforce the importance of this result by establishing suicide attempt as a risk predictor and add emphasis to the urgent need for immediate intervention towards older adults who initiate suicidal behavior (Erlangsen et al, 2011). …”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 78%

Schizophrenia — A predictor of suicide during the second half of life?

Erlangsen

Eaton

Mortensen

et al. 2012

Schizophrenia Research

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Background Little is known about the suicide risk of older adults diagnosed with schizophrenia. The purpose of the study is to examine whether older adults diagnosed with schizophrenia have an elevated risk of dying by suicide, examine trends by age, and identify predictors of death by suicide. Methods Individual-level register data on all older adults aged 50+ living in Denmark during 1990–2006 (N=2 899 411) were assessed using survival analysis. The impact of predictors was adjusted for a series of socio-demographic and health-related covariates. Results In all, 248 suicides were identified among older adults diagnosed with schizophrenia. The suicide rate ratios of men and women aged 50–69 years with a diagnosis of schizophrenia was 7.0 [95%CI: 5.8 – 8.4] and 13.7 [95%CI: 11.3 – 16.6], respectively, when compared to those with no diagnosis. With increasing age a lower rate ratio was found; for men and women aged 70+ it was 2.1 [95%CI: 1.1 – 3.9] and 3.4 [95%CI: 2.0 – 5.8], respectively. Adjusted analyses revealed an elevated risk of suicide for diagnoses of schizophrenia, greater number of hospitalizations, recent admission (for men), recent discharge, previous suicide attempt, recent suicide attempt, comorbidity of mood disorders, personality disorders, and substance abuse (for women). Conclusions We found an elevated mortality risk of suicide for both men and women aged 50 years and over diagnosed with schizophrenia. Health care staff should be aware of elevated risk, particularly in older women diagnosed with schizophrenia, in relation to chronic disease courses, recent discharge, and suicide attempt.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 78%

Schizophrenia — A predictor of suicide during the second half of life?

Erlangsen

Eaton

Mortensen

et al. 2012

Schizophrenia Research

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“…In older adults depressions are likely to go undetected [56]. Thus, gatekeeper training and screening for depression and suicidal ideation could be useful prevention strategies for older adults, who, due to their medical condition, might be in regular contact with health care staff, especially during the acute phase after diagnosis where health care contact is maintained through treatment or rehabilitation [61].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Physical diseases as predictors of suicide in older adults: a nationwide, register-based cohort study

Erlangsen

Stenager

Conwell

2015

Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol

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146

129

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“…Better mental health treatment, suicide interventions, and chronic disease management during this contemplative period might reduce morbidity and mortality. 2 However, there remains a need to improve the identification of SI/SA among older adults, 4 and systematic screening protocols may be beneficial in selected clinical environments.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…2, 3 However, clinicians under-diagnose and under-treat these conditions among older adults, 3, 4 in part because of erroneous ideas that hopelessness or thoughts of death are a part of “normal aging.” 5 Non-traditional presentations and concurrent cognitive impairment can also complicate diagnosis, especially when there is not an established provider-patient relationship.…”

Section: To the Editormentioning

confidence: 99%