Shah Ajit
Ageing, Ethnicity and Mental Health, International School for Communities, Rights and Inclusion, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, UK.
Int Psychogeriatr. 2009 Aug;21(4):768-73. doi: 10.1017/S1041610209009375. Epub 2009 Jun 4.
The reported decline in elderly suicide rates in England may have been, in part, due to prompt and successful resuscitation of those who attempt suicide. This study examines the impact of prompt and successful resuscitation of those who attempt suicide on elderly suicide rates in England.
Possible changes in rates of attempted suicides in elderly age-bands over a nine-year period and the correlation between rates of attempted suicide and suicide in elderly age-bands in England were examined using nationally collected data.
There was a significant increase in the rates of attempted suicide over the study period in the age-band 60-74 years, but not in the age-band 75+ years. There was a positive correlation between rates of attempted suicide and suicide in the age-band 75+ years, but not in the age-band 60-74 years.
The findings of this study were unable to confirm conclusively that prompt and successful medical resuscitation of those who attempt suicide makes a contribution to the decline in elderly suicide rates and requires further study. Public health initiatives should be designed to reduce not only suicide rates but also rates of attempted suicide; otherwise they are failing in the prevention of mental illness and suicidal behavior, early identification and treatment of those with mental illness and those at risk of suicide, and systematic follow-up of those recovering and recovered from mental illness.
据报道，英格兰老年自杀率的下降可能部分归因于对自杀未遂者的及时且成功的复苏救治。本研究探讨了对自杀未遂者进行及时且成功的复苏救治对英格兰老年自杀率的影响。
利用全国收集的数据，研究了九年期间老年年龄段自杀未遂率的可能变化，以及英格兰老年年龄段自杀未遂率与自杀率之间的相关性。
在60 - 74岁年龄组中，研究期间自杀未遂率显著上升，但在75岁及以上年龄组中未出现这种情况。在75岁及以上年龄组中，自杀未遂率与自杀率呈正相关，但在60 - 74岁年龄组中并非如此。
本研究结果无法确凿证实对自杀未遂者进行及时且成功的医疗复苏救治有助于降低老年自杀率，这需要进一步研究。公共卫生举措不仅应旨在降低自杀率，还应降低自杀未遂率；否则，它们在预防精神疾病和自杀行为、对精神疾病患者及有自杀风险者进行早期识别和治疗，以及对康复和已康复的精神疾病患者进行系统随访方面都存在不足。
