Suicide is the 11th leading cause of death in the United States and very common among older people. Approximately every 83 minutes, one adult 65 years of age or older commits suicide in the United States. These tend to be very violent deaths with 8 of 10 men over the age of 65 using a gun to kill themselves. Statistics show that elderly people kill themselves at a higher rate than any other segment of the population in many countries.
The study cited in the JAMA article looked at the relationship between specific illness and rates of suicide to determine if the presence of certain illness increases risk of suicide among those seniors who are suffering from those diseases.
Depression, bipolar disorder (manic-depressive illness) and severe pain were associated with the largest increases in suicide risk. However, several other chronic illnesses including seizure disorder, congestive heart failure, and chronic lung disease, were also associated with an increased risk for suicide.
The researchers also found that treatment for multiple illnesses was strongly related to an increased risk of suicide, and that most of the patients who committed suicide visited a physician in the month before death, about half of them during the preceding week.
The author of the study concluded that "Physicians, nurses, and other health care professionals should be alert to the possible threat of suicide in elderly patients with chronic illness, particularly in patients with multiple illnesses, symptoms of depression, or other risk factors for suicide.” By identifying those seniors at higher risk of suicide, interventional measures can be initiated that may prevent deadly actions by those seniors.
