Association of suicide rates for elderly age bands with gender equality

A lower sex ratio (male to female) of elderly suicide rates in several Asian countries have been attributed to gender inequality on several parameters. The association of two proxy measures of gender equality (value of the gender empowerment measure and the gender-related development index) and the male to female sex ratio of suicide rates in the age bands 65-74 yr. and 75+ yr. was examined using multiple linear regression. The two proxy measures of gender equality did not account for significant variance in the male to female sex ratio of suicide rates in the age bands 65-74 yr. and 75+ yr. Association of gender equality with the male to female sex ratio of suicide rates requires further clarification in both cross-sectional studies across different countries and longitudinal studies within individual countries for all age bands. Such studies should, in addition to the GEM and the GDI, include other measures of gender equality including sex differences in educational attainment, income, poverty, housing, employment, access to healthcare and social welfare services, and urbanisation.     

Association of national cancer mortality and suicide rates

Using WHO data from 1996 instead of 1990, the authors replicated and extended Knodrichin and Lester's 2001 study. Like their study, our total rates of cancer mortality and suicide in a similar sample of 37 European nations of the world were estimated to be positively associated.     

State IQ and elderly suicide rates in the United States

Paralleling previous findings with state suicide rates of the total population, the associations of state suicide rates of elderly persons with regional IQ estimates across the USA were inconsistent (positive, negative, or nil), depending on the source of available state IQ estimates used in the analysis. The implications of these findings and directions for further inquiry are discussed.     

Possible relation of suicide rates of elderly with societal crime: a cross-national study

There are few studies examining the relationship between elderly suicides and societal crime. Therefore, a cross-national study examining the relationship between suicide rates of elderly persons and the percentage of the population victimised by different categories of crime was undertaken by using cross-national data from the World Health Organisation and United Nations databases. The main finding was a negative correlation between suicide rates in elderly men age 75+ years and women in both the elderly age-bands with the percentage of the population victimised by the crime of robbery. The findings were at variance with the study's hypothesis and may be explained by several factors, including methodological issues. Individual-level case-control or cohort studies of suicides and attempted suicides by elderly persons are suggested to examine the relationship of suicides by elderly and experience of being victimised by crime.     

Possible relationship of elderly suicide rates with unemployment in society: a cross-national study

Analyses of individual and aggregated data have yielded an association between suicide and unemployment, particularly for men in younger age groups. Examination of the relationship of elderly suicide rates with measures of unemployment in a cross-national study of 27 countries did not produce any statistically significant association between these two variables. Also, the magnitude of the actual correlations was small. One reason for low magnitude of correlations may be better welfare systems in the studied countries which mainly reported medium and high income.     

Low income, unemployment, and suicide mortality rates for middle-age persons in Japan

The relationships between age-specific suicide mortality rates and social life factors for all 47 Japanese prefectures in 1980, 1985, and 1990 were assessed by multiple regression analysis after factor analysis on 20 social life indicators. During this period, Japan experienced a secondary oil crisis in 1980-1983 and a bubble economy in 1986-1990. It was concluded that (1) low income was the major determinant which positively affected suicide mortality rate in middle-aged men during a previous 20-yr. period (1970-1990), (2) urbanization was negatively associated with male suicide mortality rates in most of the age classes in the 1980s, (3) unemployment was one of the major determinants of increased suicide mortality rate in middle-age men in the 1980s, and (4) unemployment was the major factor which was inversely associated with suicide mortality rate for elderly women from 1980 to 1990 in Japan.     

Explaining cross-state differences in elderly suicide rates and identifying state-level public policy responses that reduce rates

Elderly Americans commit suicide at higher rates than other age groups. We contend that macro- and micro-social variables contribute distinct aspects to explanations of this tragic loss: the former focus on circumstances that affect overall rates, the latter reveal why certain individuals succumb to suicide. Our analysis focuses on the macro-social end of a causal sequence including variables at both levels. We describe how elderly suicide rates vary among states, show that macrosocial indicators of social integration contribute to cross-state variation in elderly suicide rates, and explain how selected aspects of state-level public policy contribute to reducing elderly suicide rates.     

Predicting European suicide rates with physiological indices

In a sample of 17 European nations, the prevalence of the brain parasite Toxoplasma gondii and the percentage of Finno-Ugrians in the populations were significantly associated with national suicide rates for men and women.     

Age variations in the suicide rates and self-reported subjective well-being of married and never married persons

Previous research has established that people who never marry have higher suicide rates and lower self-reported subjective well-being than the married. The present study examines how the differences between: (1) never married persons who live alone, (2) never married cohabitees; and (3) currently married people, vary between age groups. The relevance of such age variations for status integration theory and theories of marital selection is discussed. Summing up results from previous studies of suicide rates, the relative position of the never married is found to be most unfavourable for people in their 30s and 40s; the differences are smaller among the young and the old. Data on self-reported well-being are taken from a large-scale survey of the population of one of Norway's 19 counties (n = 51 000), and are analysed by means of ordinary multiple regression. With regard to single people who were married or who never married, the results are largely consistent with the suicide findings; the advantage of marriage increases until about 40 years of age, then declines. The survey data also provide information about unmarried cohabitation, which seems to be more or less equivalent to marriage in most age groups. Neither status integration theory nor any other single theory of marriage effects or marital selection seems to be able to account for these findings in a satisfactory way.     

National anthems and suicide rates

In a sample of 18 European nations, suicide rates were positively associated with the proportion of low notes in the national anthems and, albeit less strongly, with students' ratings of how gloomy and how sad the anthems sounded, supporting a hypothesis proposed by Rihmer.     

Biology of elderly suicide.

Most studies of suicide in younger patients have demonstrated significant alterations in the serotonin system. Although a high percentage of completed suicides occur in late-life, to date very few studies of the biology of suicide have focused on this age group. This chapter describes age-related changes in the central nervous system pertinent to the biology of suicide, then reviews post-mortem biological studies of the brains of suicides and suicide attempters. As suicide attempts in the elderly are characterized by the use of violent means, biologic studies of impulsive violence are discussed. Finally we describe data on the effect of degenerative diseases on the serotonin system and the possible link to increased suicidal behavior in affected patients. This review underscores the need for further study of the biology of suicide in the geriatric age group.     

Temporal variation in Irish suicide rates

Using Irish suicide data for the period 1990-1998, the independent effects of month and day adjusting for age, gender, and calendar year effects and distinguishing between holiday and working Mondays were assessed. The male suicide rate was significantly higher on working Mondays (+31%) and Saturdays (+14%), and during April, June, and August (+17%), after adjustment for the other variables. In contrast, female suicide rates were higher only in August (+35%) and exhibited no day effect. Teenage men had a greater elevation of risk on Saturdays, Sundays, and both working and holiday Mondays than any other group. The study findings should be taken into account in the planning of specialized health care services and helplines for suicidal people. Furthermore, the findings provide support for Gabennesch's (1988) broken promise theory and the relationship between dysfunctions of the serotonergic system and suicidal behavior.     

Lyrics of national anthems and suicide rates

The suicide rates of 18 European nations were associated with the proportion of sad words in the lyrics of their national anthems as well as the gloominess of the music. It is suggested that a possible suicide prevention tactic might involve changing the music and lyrics of national anthems.     

Eidetic imagery in elderly persons

A survey of 59 healthy rural elderly persons did not indicate any showed eidetic ability.     

Suicide attacks in Israel and suicide rates

In Israel from 1983 to 1999, the frequency and lethality of suicide attacks was negatively associated with the suicide rate.     

Rational suicide among the elderly.

Old age, in and of itself, should never need to be a cause for self-destruction. But suicide and assisted suicide carried out in the face of terminal illness causing unbearable suffering should be ethically and legally acceptable. This paper outlines a perspective on rational suicide--the final exit--among the elderly.     

Quality of life for children and suicide rates

The quality of life in 1982 of children in nations of the world reported by Jordan in 1993 was positively associated with youth suicide rates only for males in 1982.     

Age-adjusted rates of suicide and homicide and fluoride

Using state data from 1992 and 2000 instead of 1975, the author both confirmed and extended Lester's 1987 study. Like Lester's study, the present replication showed for 1992 (but not 2000) that the more people drinking fluoridated water, the lower the rates of crude and age-adjusted suicide (partial rs: -.25 and -.25, respectively). Crude and age-adjusted rates of homicide in 1992 and 2000 did not change with the fluoridation of public water. Effective interpretation requires more study.