Profiles by suicide methods: an analysis of older adults

Abstract

Acceptability, availability and lethality are important factors impacting choice of means and should be considered when designing suicide prevention activities in older adults.

Suicide among nursing home residents in Australia: A national population‐based retrospective analysis of medico‐legal death investigation information

“…Hanging and falling from height were the most common methods of suicide among nursing home residents. This also aligns with previous findings from nursing home populations internationally, and common suicide methods among older adults in the community . Interestingly, plastic bag asphyxia was the third most common method in the Australian nursing home population, and yet internationally only 1 suicide by this method was previously described .…”

“…This also aligns with previous findings from nursing home populations internationally, 10 and common suicide methods among older adults in the community. 36,37 Interestingly, plastic bag asphyxia was the third most common method in the Australian nursing home population, and yet internationally only 1 suicide by this method was previously described. 25 These common methods of suicide reflect more accessible means in a nursing home setting.…”

“…Less common forms of suicide in this population often involved less accessible means such as cutting, electrocution, transport, and firearms, despite firearms being a common method of suicide among community dwelling older adults. 36,38 Although access to means of suicide may already be restricted in a supervised nursing home setting, means prevention in nursing homes requires further consideration. This may include physical barriers to prevent falls from height, 39 and the elimination of hanging points.…”

The Characteristics of Suicide in Gunungkidul Indonesia

“…Based on police data, hanging uses easily available tools such as jarit cloth, sarong, plastic raffia, or setagen cloth. These tools are relatively easier to access compared to poison, pesticides, or jumping; and it has the highest mortality rate (18,(28)(29)(30). Hanging oneself is the method most widely used in Australia, South Korea, and Japan (19,30,31).…”

Suicide in older people, attitudes and knowledge of emergency nurses: A multi-centre study

“…Current evidence suggests that there is a casual link between substance abuse and suicide [34], and that this problem is pertinent for older people [35]. The relationship between substance abuse and suicide in older people is especially concerning considering older people are often taking prescription medications which can easily be misused or abused [36]. Further, it is known that impaired prognosis and co-morbidities are associated with substance misuse in older people [37].…”