Attempted suicide in the elderly in England: age-associated rates, time trends and methods

Critical study of attempted suicides may allow greater understanding of completed suicides because of the considerable overlap between attempted and completed suicides in the elderly.

Age-associated rates (60-74 years versus 75+ years), trends over time and methods of attempted suicide in the elderly in England were examined using recently collected national data for a nine-year period.

The rate of attempted suicides in the 60-74 years age-band increased over the nine-year study period. Rates of intentional self-poisoning by and exposure to non-opiod analgesics, antipyretics and antirheumatics, intentional self-poisoning by and exposure to narcotics and psychodysleptics and intentional self-poisoning by and exposure to other drugs acting on the autonomic nervous system increased over the nine-year study period in both elderly age-bands. The rates and the frequency of intentional self-poisoning by and exposure to non-opiod analgesics, antipyretics and antirheumatics and intentional self-harm by sharp objects were higher in the 75+ years age-band compared to the 60-74 years age-band. The rates and frequency of intentional self-poisoning by and exposure to other drugs acting on the autonomic nervous system, intentional self-poisoning by and exposure to alcohol and intentional self-harm by smoke, fire and flames were higher in the 60-74 year age-band compared to the 75+ years age-band.

There is a need to develop strategies to reduce access to targetted methods of attempted suicide in elderly that are most prevalent and increasing over time.