Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

SUICIDE AND AGING*

1970; Wiley; Volume: 18; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1111/j.1532-5415.1970.tb02112.x

1532-5415

H. L. P. Resnik, Joel M. Cantor,

Suicide and Self-Harm Studies

A bstract : Suicide is among the ten leading causes of death, but in addition many suicides may be concealed among accidental and natural deaths. The aged comprise 9 per cent of the population, yet they commit 25 per cent of the reported suicides. Suicide occurs in white males over age 65 at a rate nearly four times the national average, and in white females over 65 at a rate twice the national average. New techniques of intervention, case finding, and follow‐up are necessary with the aged, since they communicate their suicidal intention less frequently and are more often successful. All professionals should be alert to the possibility that older persons with a serious physical illness which could lead to death may avoid the fear and anxiety about prolonged dying, by committing suicide. Older persons also may want to die because they have accepted both real and imagined communications from a rejecting society.