Trends in suicide mortality among the elderly in Norway, 1966-1986.

Increasing suicide rates among the oldest segments of the population, together with the increasing proportion of elderly in Western countries are sources of growing concern. I analyzed suicide trends among the elderly in Norway during the period 1966-1986. I used Poisson regression to analyze time trends on the basis of age, calendar period, and birth cohorts. Age and period affected the suicide rates for both sexes more than did cohort effects. Specific age-sex groups preferred specific methods of suicide.