@article{ref1,
title="Attempted suicide in the elderly in England: age-associated rates, time trends and methods",
journal="International psychogeriatrics / IPA",
year="2009",
author="Shah, Ajit",
volume="21",
number="5",
pages="889-895",
abstract="Background: Critical study of attempted suicides may allow greater understanding of completed suicides because of the considerable overlap between attempted and completed suicides in the elderly.Methods: Age-associated rates (60-74 years versus 75+ years), trends over time and methods of attempted suicide in the elderly in England were examined using recently collected national data for a nine-year period.Results: The rate of attempted suicides in the 60-74 years age-band increased over the nine-year study period. Rates of intentional self-poisoning by and exposure to non-opiod analgesics, antipyretics and antirheumatics, intentional self-poisoning by and exposure to narcotics and psychodysleptics and intentional self-poisoning by and exposure to other drugs acting on the autonomic nervous system increased over the nine-year study period in both elderly age-bands. The rates and the frequency of intentional self-poisoning by and exposure to non-opiod analgesics, antipyretics and antirheumatics and intentional self-harm by sharp objects were higher in the 75+ years age-band compared to the 60-74 years age-band. The rates and frequency of intentional self-poisoning by and exposure to other drugs acting on the autonomic nervous system, intentional self-poisoning by and exposure to alcohol and intentional self-harm by smoke, fire and flames were higher in the 60-74 year age-band compared to the 75+ years age-band.Conclusions: There is a need to develop strategies to reduce access to targetted methods of attempted suicide in elderly that are most prevalent and increasing over time.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1041-6102",
doi="10.1017/S1041610209009442",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S1041610209009442"
}