Citation

Shah A, Padayatchi M, Das K. Int. Psychogeriatr. 2007; 1-9.

Affiliation

Ageing, Ethnicity and Mental Health, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, U.K. and West London Mental Health NHS Trust, London, U.K.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2007, Cambridge University Press)

DOI

10.1017/S104161020700628X

PMID

17937826

Abstract

Background: Cultural factors may influence cross-national variations in elderly suicide rates.Methods: A cross-national study examining the relationship between elderly suicide rates and elderly dependency ratios was conducted with the a priori unidirectional hypothesis that lower elderly dependency ratios (ratio of people over the age of 65 years to people under the age of 65 years) may imply a greater number of younger people being potentially available to provide support and respect to the elderly and to hold them in high esteem, and this would lead to a reduction in elderly suicide rates. Data on elderly suicide rates, and the total number of elderly and young people were ascertained from the World Health Organization website.Results: Significant positive correlations were found between the natural logarithm of suicide rates, in both sexes in two elderly age-bands (65-74 years and 75+ years), and the elderly dependency ratio for males, females and both sexes combined.Conclusions: The impact of elderly dependency ratios on elderly suicide rates may interact with and be modified and mediated through cultural factors. The contribution of cross-national differences in cultural factors on elderly suicide rates require further study by formally measuring cultural factors with validated instruments.

Language: en