@article{ref1,
title="A replication of the relationship between elderly suicide rates and the human development index in a cross-national study",
journal="International psychogeriatrics / IPA",
year="2010",
author="Shah, Ajit",
volume="22",
number="5",
pages="727-732",
abstract="Background: A recent cross-national study demonstrated a curvilinear (inverted U-shaped curve) between elderly male suicide rates and the Human Development Index (HDI) fitting the quadratic equation y = a + bx - cx2 where y is the elderly male suicide rate, x is the HDI and a, b and c are constants). This study used only one-year cross-sectional data on suicide rates, and suicide rates can randomly fluctuate year on year.Methods: A study designed to replicate this curvilinear relationship between elderly suicide rates and the HDI was undertaken by: (i) using one-year average of five years data on suicide rates; and (ii) using more recent data on both elderly suicide rates than used in the previous study. Data were ascertained from the World Health Organization and the United Nations.Results: There was a significant curvilinear (inverted U-shaped curve) relationship between suicide rates in males aged 65-74 years, males aged 75+ years, females aged 65-74 years and the HDI fitting the quadratic equation y = a + bx - cx2. A similar curvilinear relationship was observed in females aged 75+ years, but the significance level only approached 0.05 level.Conclusions: The replication of the curvilinear (inverted U-shaped curve) relationship between elderly suicide rates and the HDI by using one-year average of five years data on suicide rates suggests that the observed relationship is robust and accurate.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1041-6102",
doi="10.1017/S1041610210001110",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S1041610210001110"
}