Centre for Policy on Ageing



One year prevalence of death thoughts, suicide ideation and behaviours in an elderly population
Author(s)	P Scocco, D De Leo
Journal title	International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, vol 17, no 9, September 2002
Pages	pp 842-846
Keywords	Death ; Attitude ; Suicide ; Emotions ; Social surveys ; Italy.
Annotation	This study is a rare example of simultaneous evaluation of all main manifestations of suicidality, from death thoughts to completed suicide, in an ageing population in Northern Italy. Data on attempted and completed suicide derived from the Padua WHO Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Suicide Prevention that has monitored these phenomena since 1989. Although only a longitudinal evaluation would provide clear evidence of a continuum hypothesis in suicidal phenomena, the study highlights the existence of a rather proportioned crescendo in the severity of those manifestations, particularly from death wishes to fatal suicidal behaviour. Most severe suicidal ideation is correlated with highest scores of psychopathology. Given the relative rarity of non-fatal suicidal behaviour in older people, preventive efforts should particularly target the presence of suicidal ideation. (RH).
Accession Number	CPA-021024209 A
Classmark	CW: DP: EV: DL: 3F: 76V
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...from the Ageinfo database published by Centre for Policy on Ageing.