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Prevalence and risk factors for attempted suicide in the elderly: a cross-sectional study in Shanghai, China

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 December 2016

Wei Zhang ,
Hansheng Ding ,
Peng Su ,
Qin Xu ,
Lixia Du ,
Chunyan Xie ,
Rong Chen ,
Yitong Yang ,
Chunlin Jin  and
Guangfeng Duan
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Wei Zhang
Affiliation:
Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
Hansheng Ding
Affiliation:
Shanghai Medical Science and Technology Institute, Shanghai, China Shanghai Health Development and Research Center, Shanghai, China
Peng Su
Affiliation:
Department of Hospital Affairs, Guangzhou Military General Hospital, Guangzhou, China
Qin Xu
Affiliation:
Division of Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases and Injury, Shanghai Municipal Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shanghai, China
Lixia Du
Affiliation:
Shanghai Medical Science and Technology Institute, Shanghai, China
Chunyan Xie
Affiliation:
Shanghai Medical Science and Technology Institute, Shanghai, China
Rong Chen
Affiliation:
Shanghai Population and Development Research Center, Shanghai, China
Yitong Yang
Affiliation:
School of Statistics and Management, Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, Shanghai, China
Chunlin Jin
Affiliation:
Shanghai Medical Science and Technology Institute, Shanghai, China Shanghai Health Development and Research Center, Shanghai, China
Guangfeng Duan
Affiliation:
Department of Health Services Management, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
Yang Li
Affiliation:
Department of Health Services Management, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
Lingling Gong
Affiliation:
Community Health Service Center, Jiangnin Street, Jing'an District, Shanghai, China
Wenhua Tian*
Affiliation:
School of Social Development and Public Policy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Wenhua Tian, School of Social Development and Public Policy, Fudan University, Handan Road 220, Shanghai 200433, China. Phone: +86-21-8187-1428; Fax: +86-21-8187-1428. Email: wh_tian@aliyun.com.
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Abstract

Background:

Previous studies have thoroughly investigated the prevalence and risk factors for completed suicide. In marked contrast is the lack of a better understanding of attempted suicide in the elderly. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of attempted suicide in the elderly and examine the associated factors.

Methods:

Using a multi-stage cluster sampling approach, a cross-sectional survey of 8,399 elderly house-dwelling residents was conducted in Shanghai, China.

Results:

The two-week prevalence of attempted suicide in the elderly was 0.75%. In the bivariate analysis, having no caregivers, depressive, anxiety, sad, fear, obsessive-compulsive and anger symptom, and lower scores on the Barthel Index of Activities of Daily Living and the Lawton Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale were significantly associated with an increased risk of attempted suicide in the elderly. In the multivariate analysis, sad and fear symptoms were significantly and independently associated with a higher risk of attempted suicide in the elderly.

Conclusion:

The two-week prevalence of attempted suicide in the elderly is relatively high when compared with the annualized or lifetime prevalence reported in China and foreign settings. Elderly individuals with certain mental symptoms should be targeted for suicide prevention and provided with timely mental health support.

Keywords

elderlyattempted suicideprevalencerisk factorsChinese
Type
Research Article
Information
International Psychogeriatrics , Volume 29 , Issue 5 , May 2017 , pp. 709 - 715
Copyright
Copyright © International Psychogeriatric Association 2016 

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Footnotes

* These authors contributed equally to this paper.

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