Search results for ‘Subject term:"older people"’ Sort:
Results 1 - 7 of 7
Passive suicide ideation: an indicator of risk among older adults seeking aging services?
- Authors:
- VAN ORDEN Kimberly A., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Gerontologist, 55(6), 2015, pp.972-980.
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
Objectives: This study examines patterns of endorsements of active suicide ideation (SI), passive SI (synonymous with death ideation), and psychological distress (i.e., depressive and anxious symptomatology) in a sample of vulnerable older adults. Methods: Data were collected via in-home interviews with ageing services care management clients aged 60 years and older (n = 377). The Paykel scale for suicide measured the most severe level of suicidality over the past year, and the ninth item of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) measured current passive/active SI. The remaining items from the PHQ (i.e., PHQ-8) and the Goldberg Anxiety scale measured distress. Results: Latent class analysis revealed a four-class model: a group with mild distress and no active SI, a group with high distress and no ideation, a group with mild distress and both passive and active SI, and a group with high distress and both passive and active SI. Discussion: Results indicate that passive SI rarely presents in vulnerable older adults in the absence of significant risk factors for suicide (i.e., psychological distress or active SI). Thus, the desire for death and the belief that life is not worth living do not appear to be normative in late life. (Edited publisher abstract)
Elderly suicide: a multi-national view
- Authors:
- PEARSON J.L., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 1(2), May 1997, pp.107-111.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Males aged 75 and older have the highest rates of suicide in nearly all industrialized countries. A fairly consistent pattern of risk factors for elderly suicides includes major depression diagnoses without comorbid substance use, and comorbid physical illness. Older suicides also demonstrate greater lethality of self-destructive behaviours compared to younger groups. This article summarises research findings and recent prevention efforts from several nations.
Do older people who self-harm receive the hospital care they need?
- Authors:
- BARR Wally, LEITNER Maria, THOMAS Joan
- Journal article citation:
- Quality in Ageing, 5(4), December 2004, pp.10-19.
- Publisher:
- Pier Professional
- Place of publication:
- Brighton
Although self-harm is most common in younger people in Britain, the risk of suicide subsequent to an inital act of self-harm is considerably greater in older age groups. Four characteristics have been shown to be associated with increased vulnerability in older people who self-harm: increased suicide intent, physical illness, mental illness and social isolation. This article provides self-harm presentations of patients over 65 in a British hospital accident and emergency department undertaken during a five year period. It considers whether greater vulnerability in older patients is reflected in their clinical management within the hospital and in community support planning on discharge. At the first presentation, older patients exhibited greater signs of vunerability than younger patients. However, no solid evidence was found to suggest that older self-harm patients were any more likely than younger patients to routinuely receive either a psychosocial assessment from specialist mental health training staff, or community aftercare planning on discharge from hospital.
The use of Sections 2 and 3 of the Mental Health Act (1983) with older people: a prospective study
- Authors:
- McPHERSON A., JONES G.
- Journal article citation:
- Aging and Mental Health, 7(2), March 2003, pp.153-157.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
The use of the UK Mental Health Act (MHA) is under scrutiny with older people, especially in those with dementia and other organic mental disorder. Whilst research into use of the MHA with this group has been sparse, the small body of existing research suggests that the MHA is applied differently to older adults (i.e. those over 65 years). This multi-centre study identified all MHA assessments conducted over a prospective three-month period, and obtained detailed data on the circumstances behind assessment. The findings highlighted that older people assessed under the MHA tend to exhibit different behaviour patterns, circumstances and core characteristics to those under 65; older people were more likely to be detained because of self neglect and physical illness and also more often had a diagnosis of an organic mental disorder. Younger people were unlikely to have a diagnosis of organic mental disorder and were more likely to be judged as a risk to other people. Risk of suicide was particularly highlighted with the under 65 age group. Implications for legislative reform are discussed.
Suicide and the elderly: issues for clinical practice
- Author:
- ROFF Sherri
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 34(2), 2001, pp.21-36.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
Suicide is the eighth leading cause of death in the United States, representing a significant public health problem. The elderly accounting for 20 percent of the nation's suicides despite accounting for only 13 percent of the population. This article presents an overview of the major demographic, social and psychological factors involved in suicide among the elderly: briefly discusses the theoretical underpinnings of the study of suicide; and addresses the ethical dilemmas of clinical practice with suicidal elderly, and offers implications for social work practice and suggestions for future research.
Psychiatric disorder and personality factors associated with suicide in older people: a descriptive and case-control study
- Authors:
- HARWOOD Daniel, et al
- Journal article citation:
- International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 16(2), February 2001, pp.155-165.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Reports on a study to determine the rates of psychiatric disorder and personality variables in a sample of older people who had committed suicide and to compare the rates in a subgroup of this sample with those in a control group of people who died from natural causes. The sample covered four counties and one large urban area in central England. Results found seventy-seven per cent of the suicide sample had a psychiatric disorder at the time of death, most often depression. Personality disorder or personality trait accentuation was present in 44 percent. Depression, personality disorder, and personality trait accentuation emerged as predictors of suicide in the case-control analysis. Concludes that personality factors, as well as depression, are important risk factors for suicide in older people.
Evaluating an intervention for the elderly at increased risk of suicide
- Authors:
- MORROW-HOWELL Nancy, BECKER-KEMPPAINEN Susan, JUDY Lee
- Journal article citation:
- Research on Social Work Practice, 8(1), January 1998, pp.28-46.
- Publisher:
- Sage
Presents an evaluation of Link-Plus, a social work service provided in the USA under the auspices of a suicide prevention hot line agency. The programme targets the elderly at increased risk of suicide by virtue of depression, social isolation, and unmet needs. The evaluation found that the outreach strategy and telephone intervention service was moderately effective in treating older adults with depressive symptomatology, social isolation, and unmet need.