Mościcki E K
Prevention Research Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, Rockville, MD 20857, USA.
Int Psychogeriatr. 1995 Summer;7(2):137-48.
This article presents the epidemiology of suicide with a special focus on suicides among the elderly, and discusses the known risk factors for suicide within a framework designed to encourage a systematic approach to theory testing and prevention. Throughout the world, suicide rates are highest among the elderly. The risk factors for suicide can be classified as distal or proximal, and, within these broad categories, as sociodemographic, psychiatric, biological, familial, and situational. Mental and addictive disorders are the major risk factors for suicide in all age groups. Other risk factors include male gender, disrupted marital status, prior suicide attempt, reduced brain stem serotonergic activity, family history of psychiatric disorder or suicide, a firearm in the home, and a recent, severely stressful life event. Since risk factors for suicide rarely occur in isolation, prevention efforts are more likely to succeed if multiple risk factors are targeted.
本文介绍了自杀的流行病学情况，特别关注老年人自杀问题，并在一个旨在鼓励采用系统方法进行理论检验和预防的框架内，讨论了已知的自杀风险因素。在全球范围内，老年人的自杀率最高。自杀风险因素可分为远端或近端因素，在这些大类中，又可分为社会人口学、精神病学、生物学、家庭和情境因素。精神障碍和成瘾性障碍是所有年龄组自杀的主要风险因素。其他风险因素包括男性、婚姻状况破裂、既往自杀未遂、脑干血清素能活性降低、精神障碍或自杀家族史、家中有枪支以及近期发生的严重应激性生活事件。由于自杀风险因素很少单独出现，如果针对多个风险因素采取预防措施，则更有可能取得成功。
