Factors Associated with the Recent Decline in Suicide Rates in the Elderly in England and Wales, 1985-1998

2005 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lubbaba Mahmood Lodhi ◽  
Ajit Shah
1973 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 411-420 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. A. Whitlock

SynopsisSuicide deaths by age and sex have been examined in 28 London boroughs for the period 1959–63. In contrast with the findings in 82 county boroughs, the relationships between suicide and 18 other variables did not differ greatly for the sexes. In old age, as in the previous investigation, most of the variables having high correlations with suicide rates tended to disappear. Loneliness and ill-health were probably more important determinants of suicide rates in the elderly than other environmental or personal attributes. The finding that the distribution of suicide in London has not changed much in 40 years implies a need for the development of services to combat this problem in boroughs where suicide is particularly high.


2009 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 1198-1200 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Buckley ◽  
Ajit Shah

Because suicide rates have traditionally increased with age (Shah and De, 1998; Shah, 2007), the observed reduction in suicide rates among older people may be an important contributor to the U.K. government's target to reduce suicide rates in the general population by at least one-sixth of the 1996 baseline by 2010 (Department of Health, 1999). Previous studies have observed that suicide rates in older people have declined in both sexes over the 12-year period (1985–1996) and 24-year period (1979–2002) in England and Wales (Hoxey and Shah, 2000; Shah et al., 2001), although the rates are still considerably higher than those among younger adults. It is believed that a better understanding of the methods used by older people for suicide may lead to the development of targeted preventative strategies, which are expected to meet the challenge of sustaining this observed decline in suicide rates among older people over time in England and Wales (Lindesay, 1991; Dennis and Lindesay, 1995).


2003 ◽  
Vol 57 (4) ◽  
pp. 595-611 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Gunnell ◽  
Nicos Middleton ◽  
Elise Whitley ◽  
Daniel Dorling ◽  
Stephen Frankel

1970 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 129-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raj Kumar Subedi

Insomnia is one of the major and unsolved problems in older people. Most of the sleep studies report that the different forms of insomnia like Difficulty Initiating Sleep (DIS), Difficulty Maintaining Sleep (DMS) and Non-Restorative Sleep (NRS) are common among the elderly that are associated to many factors. The objective of the study was to measure the prevalence of insomnia and the factors associated to it among the elderly people. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 142 elderly people of and above 60 years of age in Sarangdanda VDC of Panchthar District of Eastern Nepal. The presence or absence of insomnia and the associated factors were assessed on them by the help of interview schedule. The results were analyzed using chi-square test in SPSS (version 11.5). DMS was the most common reported form of insomnia among the elderly followed by DIS and NRS. Association between insomnia and each of factors like use of tobacco before sleeping hours, eating too close to bedtime, use of tea/coffee before sleeping hours and use of alcohol before sleeping hours were statistically significant at 95% level of confidence. Insomnia affects a large proportion of elderly and is triggered by many factors like use of tobacco before sleeping hours, use of tea/coffee before sleeping hours, eating too close to bedtime and use of alcohol before sleeping hours. Keywords: Alcohol; tea/coffee; difficulty initiating sleep (DIS); difficulty maintaining sleep (DMS); non-restorative sleep (NRS); tobacco DOI: 10.3126/dsaj.v4i0.4517 Dhaulagiri Journal of Sociology and Anthropology Vol.4 2010 pp.129-142


2015 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Telma de Almeida Busch ◽  
Yeda Aparecida Duarte ◽  
Daniella Pires Nunes ◽  
Maria Lucia Lebrão ◽  
Michel Satya Naslavsky ◽  
...  

2014 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 705-718 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iara Guimarães Rodrigues ◽  
Gustavo Pereira Fraga ◽  
Marilisa Berti de Azevedo Barros

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to identify factors associated with the occurrence of falls among elderly adults in a population-based study (ISACamp 2008). Methods: A population-based cross-sectional study was carried out with two-stage cluster sampling. The sample was composed of 1,520 elderly adults living in the urban area of the city of Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil. The occurrence of falls was analyzed based on reports of the main accident occurred in the previous 12 months. Data on socioeconomic/demographic factors and adverse health conditions were tested for possible associations with the outcome. Prevalence ratios (PR) were estimated and adjusted for gender and age using the Poisson multiple regression analysis. Results: Falls were more frequent, after adjustment for gender and age, among female elderly participants (PR = 2.39; 95% confidence interval (95%CI) 1.47 - 3.87), elderly adults (80 years old and older) (PR = 2.50; 95%CI 1.61 - 3.88), widowed (PR = 1.74; 95%CI 1.04 - 2.89) and among elderly adults who had rheumatism/arthritis/arthrosis (PR = 1.58; 95%CI 1.00 - 2.48), osteoporosis (PR = 1.71; 95%CI 1.18 - 2.49), asthma/bronchitis/emphysema (PR = 1,73; 95%CI 1.09 - 2.74), headache (PR = 1.59; 95%CI 1.07 - 2.38), mental common disorder (PR = 1.72; 95%CI 1.12 - 2.64), dizziness (PR = 2.82; 95%CI 1.98 - 4.02), insomnia (PR = 1.75; 95%CI 1.16 - 2.65), use of multiple medications (five or more) (PR = 2.50; 95%CI 1.12 - 5.56) and use of cane/walker (PR = 2.16; 95%CI 1.19 - 3,93). Conclusion: The present study shows segments of the elderly population who are more prone to falls through the identification of factors associated with this outcome. The findings can contribute to the planning of public health policies and programs addressed to the prevention of falls.


1990 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 500-509 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher H. Cantor ◽  
Terry Lewin

Australia has a moderate overall suicide rate but an extremely high male firearm suicide rate. Using data covering the years 1961–1985, a series of multiple regression based analyses were performed. During this period, overall suicide rates fell but firearm suicides remained constant with a resulting increase in the proportion of suicides by firearms. There has been an increase in suicides in the young offset by a decline in the elderly. Young males showed the greatest proportional increase in the use of firearms. A limited regional analysis supported the hypothesis that lack of legislative restrictions on long guns in Queensland with a greater household prevalence of such weapons and different cultural attitudes were associated with higher overall and firearm suicide rates. Such findings are consistent with reports from North America, although trends in Australia are more modest. Reducing the availability and cultural acceptance of firearms is likely to decrease suicide rates, especially in males.


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