[Attempted suicide in old age].

A group of 4190 patients who had attempted suicide were subdivided into three age groups: younger than 40 years, 40 to 64 years, and older than 64 years of age. The distribution of diagnoses, sex ratio, ratio of foreigners and family status was compared among these 3 groups and with the distribution in a normal population. In the 2 younger patient groups men were underrepresented but not in the oldest patient group. The same was true for male foreigners. In all 3 groups divorced patients were overrepresented, while in the 2 younger groups single patients were overrepresented. Married patients were always underrepresented, whereas the ratio of the widowed patients was consistent with the ratio of the normal population. Depressions increased significantly with age, while other psychiatric diagnoses decreased. Also the motives for suicidal attempts in the oldest group were compared with those in a previously investigated group with a much lower mean age (Kockott et al. 1970). The motives of the older patient group were very similar to those mentioned by the younger patient group but very different from the motives of old persons who committed suicide. It seems, that even in old age there is a distinct difference between patients who attempt suicide and those who succeed in committing suicide (Stengel 1969).