Should research focus specifically on elderly suicide rates in cross-national ecological studies designed to identify distil risk factors?

Abstract

Suicide rates increase with aging in many countries. In a recent study of 62 developed and developing countries, suicide rates increased with age for males and females in 25 and 27 countries respectively, and in both sexes in 17 countries (Shah, 2007). Suicide rates increased with age in 47 of the 49 medium- and high-income countries (Keimo, 2004). Comprehensive understanding of the substantial worldwide variation in population patterns of suicide may be critical for developing prevention programs (Knox et al., 2004). Much is known about individual level proximal risk factors and preventative strategies can be targeted at identified high risk groups (Shah and De, 1998). Also, proximal risk factors for elderly suicide victims are generally different from those for younger suicide victims (Shah and De, 1998). However, distil risk factors may be similar for elderly and younger suicide victims. Such distil risk factors include societal socioeconomic status (Kennedy et al., 1999; Shah et al., 2008), societal income inequality (Kowalski et al., 1987; Shah et al., 2008), education (Kowalski et al., 1987; Agbayewa et al., 1998), degree of urbanization (Stack, 1993), degree of social integration (Durkheim, 1992) and provision of health and mental health service provision (Shah and Bhat, 2008). In general, preventative measures targeting distil risk factors require development of public health strategies at a societal level. Should research focus specifically on elderly suicide rates in cross-national ecological studies designed to identify distil risk factors? © 2008 International Psychogeriatric Association.