Mental Disorder in Elderly Suicides: A Case-Control Study

• DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.159.3.450
• Publication Date: 2002-10-11T18:20:39Z
• Authors: Margda Wærn; Bo S. Runeson; Peter Allebeck; Jan Beskow; Eva Rubenowitz; Ingmar Skoog; Katarina Wilhelmsson
• Keywords: Dysthymic Disorder; Depression; Major depressive episode

OBJECTIVE: The authors’ goal was to study the importance of different psychiatric disorders in relation suicide individuals 65 years old or older. METHOD: psychological autopsy approach used 85 cases among subjects who were older; 153 living comparison from same age group randomly selected tax register interviewed face-to-face. Retrospective axis I diagnoses made according DSM-IV on basis interview data and medical records. RESULTS: Ninety-seven percent victims fulfilled criteria for at least one diagnosis, compared with 18% subjects. Recurrent major depressive disorder a very strong risk factor suicide, as substance use disorder. An elevated also associated minor disorder, dysthymic psychotic single-episode anxiety Comorbid observed 15 (38%) 39 elderly had committed suicide. CONCLUSIONS: Although recurrent mental most strongly findings this suggest that commit represent heterogeneous regard disorders, implying need differentiated prevention strategies.