Wen Sanmei, Wang Xinyue, Zhou Rongfeng, Asakawa Tetsuya
School of Journalism and Communication, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
Xuhui District Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai, China.
Glob Health Med. 2024 Jun 30;6(3):204-211. doi: 10.35772/ghm.2024.01003.
The aim of this study was to investigate trends in suicide rates (SRs) among the elderly in China. Annual data on SRs among Chinese people ≥ the age of 65 were collected from China's Health Statistics Yearbook from 2002 to 2020. Then, data were stratified by age, region, and sex. Standardized SRs were calculated and analyzed using a conventional joinpoint regression model. Results revealed that overall, SRs among the elderly in China tended to decline from 2002-2020. Fluctuations in SRs, including in 2004-2005 due to the SARS epidemic, in 2009-2010 due to the economic crisis, and in 2019-2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, were also observed. Data suggested a relatively greater crude SR among the elderly ( young people), in males ( females), and in people living in a rural area ( those living in an urban area). SRs tended to rise with age. Joinpoint regression analysis identified joinpoints only for males ages 65-69 and over the age of 85 living in a rural area, suggesting that individuals in these groups are more sensitive to negative stimuli and more likely to commit suicide, necessitating closer attention. The findings from this study should help to make policy and devise measures against suicide in the future.
本研究旨在调查中国老年人的自杀率趋势。从《中国卫生统计年鉴》收集了2002年至2020年65岁及以上中国人的年度自杀率数据。然后，按年龄、地区和性别对数据进行分层。使用传统的连接点回归模型计算并分析标准化自杀率。结果显示，总体而言，2002年至2020年中国老年人的自杀率呈下降趋势。还观察到自杀率的波动，包括2004年至2005年因非典疫情、2009年至2010年因经济危机以及2019年至2020年因新冠疫情导致的波动。数据表明，老年人（年轻人）、男性（女性）以及农村地区居民（城市地区居民）的粗自杀率相对较高。自杀率往往随年龄增长而上升。连接点回归分析仅确定了农村地区65至69岁男性和85岁以上男性的连接点，这表明这些群体中的个体对负面刺激更敏感，更有可能自杀，需要给予更密切的关注。本研究结果应有助于未来制定自杀预防政策和措施。
