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Suicidal behaviour in nursing homes: a survey in a region of north-east Italy
- Authors:
- SCOCCO Paolo, et al
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 21(4), April 2006, pp.307-311.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
The complete list of Nursing Homes was provided by the Regional Department of Health for the Veneto region, in the North-East of Italy. Structured interviews were completed with nursing home managers, inquiring about nursing home, staff and management characteristics, mental health care available and the number of completed and attempted suicides (AS) in 2001 made by residents older than 65 years, occurring either inside or outside nursing homes. All facilities which reported suicidal events were asked additional information. In the study period, five completed suicides and eight AS were reported. All but one suicides and one AS had a history of mental disorders. Seven subjects had been living in a nursing home for less than one year. There were no significant differences in the frequency of suicidal events between the facilities which employed or did not employ mental health workers. The suicide rate found in this facility sample is much higher than the rate reported by the Italian National Statistic Institute for the over-65-year-old population of the Veneto Region in 2001, and is similar to the rate reported in a previous study conducted in another country. It is concluded that in Veneto nursing homes behavioural control of residents, lack of access to a variety of means used for suicidal purposes and medical supervision does not seem to have protected the nursing home population from suicidal risks.