L. Grabbe et al., THE HEALTH-STATUS OF ELDERLY PERSONS IN THE LAST YEAR OF LIFE - A COMPARISON OF DEATHS BY SUICIDE, INJURY, AND NATURAL CAUSES, American journal of public health, 87(3), 1997, pp. 434-437
Objectives. This study identified health status variables related to s
uicide by elderly persons and compared the health status of suicide de
cedents with natural death and injury decedents. Methods. Data were ob
tained from the 1986 National Mortality Followback Survey. Results. Wh
en other variables were controlled for, suicide decedents were signifi
cantly more likely than injury decedents to have a history of cancer (
odds ratio [OR] = 51.94), moderate (OR = 29.37) or heavy (OR = 22.87)
alcohol use, and mental or emotional disorder (OR = 10.91) and to be W
hite (OR = 18.54) and male (OR = 9.12). Conclusions. The findings indi
cate that a history of cancer should be considered as a risk for suici
de in the elderly.