The epidemiology of suicide in old age

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Abstract
The World Health Organization maintains a data bank on suicide motality into which 97 of the Organization's 166 Member States report data in accordance with the ICD. his paper examines the rates and trends of suicide in old age. It is observed that suicide trends vary tremendously among countries. Countries with an increase in old age suicide out number those with a decrease by ratios between 2:1 (Europe) and 5:1 (Asia). Sex differences vary, the median male/female ratios vary considerably among continents, from 1.8 in Asia to 11.5 in the Americas. Overall, despite its variations. it can be concluded that suicide in old age is characterized as follows: It is a phenomenon to be observed in all reporting countries, it is 2 to 12 times higher in males than in females, it is up to 7 times higher than adolescents suicide, and the order of magnitude of these indices are consistent over time.