Suicide attempts amongst elderly schizophrenia patients: a 10-year case-control study

Suicide is frequent amongst the elderly. Schizophrenia is one of the disorders in which suicide attempts and death by suicide are pronounced. However, there is paucity of data regarding suicide attempts by elderly schizophrenia patients. The aim of the present study was to characterize elderly schizophrenia patients who had attempted suicide (AS).

Over a 10-year period, all computerized records of admissions of schizophrenia patients 60 years or older were examined. Patients who had attempted suicide were defined as the index group and the comparison group was comprised of the next two admissions suffering from schizophrenia who did not attempt suicide prior to hospitalization.

1066 admissions of patients 60 years or older suffering from schizophrenia were examined. There were 392 women and 300 men, mean age for the group 67.4 years. Forty-nine suicide attempts were documented comprising 4.6% of the admissions. Attempts were carried out by 30 patients of whom 10 had had attempted suicide more than once. There was an almost significant difference on gender composition with more males in the suicidal group. No other variables tested were positively associated with suicidality.

The present study is unique in its scope and targeting elderly schizophrenia patients. Despite the lack of identified risk factors, further studies focusing on aging schizophrenia patients are needed as low base rate of suicide exists in this group.