Shah Ajit, Bhat Ravi, MacKenzie Sheena, Koen Chris
Ageing, Ethnicity and Mental Health, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, UK.
Int Psychogeriatr. 2008 Aug;20(4):673-86. doi: 10.1017/S1041610207006266. Epub 2007 Oct 29.
Studies examining trends in elderly suicide rates over time reported a decline, an increase and no change. A cross-national study was undertaken to examine the current status of trends over time in elderly suicide rates because previous cross-national studies were well over a decade old.
Trends in suicide rates for males and females in the age-bands 65-74 years and 75+ years over a 10-year period were examined using data from the World Health Organization website for all the listed countries.
The main findings were: (1) elderly suicide rates either declined or remained unchanged over the 10-year period in most countries; and, (2) suicide rates in both sexes in both the age-bands, over the 10-year period, declined in several European countries, and remained unchanged in several Central and South American countries, Eastern European countries and countries of the former Soviet Union.
Potential explanations for regional and cross-national variations in trends over time in elderly suicide rates include cross-national differences in trends over time in the prevalence of mental illness in the elderly, socioeconomic factors, cultural factors, the availability of appropriate healthcare services, and public health initiatives to improve the detection and treatment of mental illness, mental health and suicide prevention.
关于老年人自杀率随时间变化趋势的研究报告显示有下降、上升和无变化等情况。由于之前的跨国研究距今已有十多年，因此开展了一项跨国研究以考察老年人自杀率随时间变化趋势的现状。
利用世界卫生组织网站上所有列出国家的数据，对65 - 74岁和75岁及以上年龄组男性和女性在10年期间的自杀率趋势进行了研究。
主要发现为：（1）在大多数国家，老年人自杀率在10年期间要么下降，要么保持不变；（2）在这10年期间，在几个欧洲国家，两个年龄组的男女自杀率均下降，而在几个中美洲和南美洲国家、东欧国家以及前苏联国家，自杀率保持不变。
老年人自杀率随时间变化趋势存在区域和跨国差异的潜在解释包括：老年人精神疾病患病率随时间变化的跨国差异、社会经济因素、文化因素、适当医疗服务的可及性以及改善精神疾病检测与治疗、心理健康和自杀预防的公共卫生举措。
