Wei Zhang1, Hansheng Ding2, Peng Su3, Qin Xu4, Lixia Du2, Chunyan Xie2, Rong Chen5, Yitong Yang6, Chunlin Jin2, Guangfeng Duan7, Yang Li7, Lingling Gong8, Wenhua Tian9. 1. Changhai Hospital,Second Military Medical University,Shanghai,China. 2. Shanghai Medical Science and Technology Institute,Shanghai,China. 3. Department of Hospital Affairs,Guangzhou Military General Hospital,Guangzhou,China. 4. Division of Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases and Injury,Shanghai Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention,Shanghai,China. 5. Shanghai Population and Development Research Center,Shanghai,China. 6. School of Statistics and Management,Shanghai University of Finance and Economics,Shanghai,China. 7. Department of Health Services Management,Second Military Medical University,Shanghai,China. 8. Community Health Service Center,Jiangnin Street,Jing'an District,Shanghai,China. 9. School of Social Development and Public Policy,Fudan University,Shanghai,China.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Previous studies have thoroughly investigated the prevalence and risk factors for completed suicide. In marked contrast is the lack of a better understanding of attempted suicide in the elderly. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of attempted suicide in the elderly and examine the associated factors. METHODS: Using a multi-stage cluster sampling approach, a cross-sectional survey of 8,399 elderly house-dwelling residents was conducted in Shanghai, China. RESULTS: The two-week prevalence of attempted suicide in the elderly was 0.75%. In the bivariate analysis, having no caregivers, depressive, anxiety, sad, fear, obsessive-compulsive and anger symptom, and lower scores on the Barthel Index of Activities of Daily Living and the Lawton Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale were significantly associated with an increased risk of attempted suicide in the elderly. In the multivariate analysis, sad and fear symptoms were significantly and independently associated with a higher risk of attempted suicide in the elderly. CONCLUSION: The two-week prevalence of attempted suicide in the elderly is relatively high when compared with the annualized or lifetime prevalence reported in China and foreign settings. Elderly individuals with certain mental symptoms should be targeted for suicide prevention and provided with timely mental health support.
BACKGROUND: Previous studies have thoroughly investigated the prevalence and risk factors for completed suicide. In marked contrast is the lack of a better understanding of attempted suicide in the elderly. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of attempted suicide in the elderly and examine the associated factors. METHODS: Using a multi-stage cluster sampling approach, a cross-sectional survey of 8,399 elderly house-dwelling residents was conducted in Shanghai, China. RESULTS: The two-week prevalence of attempted suicide in the elderly was 0.75%. In the bivariate analysis, having no caregivers, depressive, anxiety, sad, fear, obsessive-compulsive and anger symptom, and lower scores on the Barthel Index of Activities of Daily Living and the Lawton Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale were significantly associated with an increased risk of attempted suicide in the elderly. In the multivariate analysis, sad and fear symptoms were significantly and independently associated with a higher risk of attempted suicide in the elderly. CONCLUSION: The two-week prevalence of attempted suicide in the elderly is relatively high when compared with the annualized or lifetime prevalence reported in China and foreign settings. Elderly individuals with certain mental symptoms should be targeted for suicide prevention and provided with timely mental health support.