Serious physical illness linked to suicide in later lifeJune 05, 2002Most people who commit suicide late in life suffer from depression, but the role of physical illness is less clear. A study in this week’s BMJ finds that serious physical illness also carries an increased risk of suicide in elderly people. Researchers in Sweden examined the records of 46 men and 39 women, aged 65 years and over, who had committed suicide. They compared these with 84 men and 69 women of the same age, living in the same area (controls). Interviews were also conducted with relatives of the suicide victims and control persons. They found that impaired vision, neurological disorders, and malignant disease were all independently associated with suicide. When the sexes were analysed separately, serious physical illness seemed to be a stronger predictor in men than in women.
Many elderly people who commit suicide consult their doctor a short time before their death, but many fail to communicate their despair, say the authors. Further research should focus on the detection and treatment of depression and suicidal ideation in the context of physical disease, they conclude. British Medical Journal (BMJ) | |||||||||||||||||||||
|
Related Depression Current Events and Depression News Articles Astrocytes and synaptic plasticity By mopping up excess neurotrophic factor from neuronal synapses, astrocytes may finely tune synaptic transmission to affect processes such as learning and memory, say Bergami et al. Astrocytes and synaptic plasticity By mopping up excess neurotrophic factor from neuronal synapses, astrocytes may finely tune synaptic transmission to affect processes such as learning and memory, say Bergami et al. Has a new era of reinstitutionalization in mental health care begun? A retrospective analysis of hospital episode statistics, involuntary admissions under the Mental Health Act 1983, and the number of psychiatric beds in England 1996-2006. Compassion meditation may improve physical and emotional responses to psychological stress Data from a new study suggests that individuals who engage in compassion meditation may benefit by reductions in inflammatory and behavioral responses to stress that have been linked to depression and a number of medical illnesses. Millisecond brain signals predict response to fast-acting antidepressant Images of the brain's fastest signals reveal an electromagnetic marker that predicts a patient's response to a fast-acting antidepressant, researchers have discovered. Bullying of teenagers online is common, UCLA psychologists report Nearly three in four teenagers say they were bullied online at least once during a recent 12-month period, and only one in 10 reported such cyber-bullying to parents or other adults, according to a new study by UCLA psychologists. Getting help for depression and anxiety has significant long-term benefits According to the Mood Disorder Society of Canada, about 1.3 million Canadians suffer from depression. Smoking increases depression in women, study reveals Researchers from the University of Melbourne and Barwon Health assessed a group of 1043 Australian women, whose health had been monitored for a decade as part of the Geelong Osteoporosis Study. Learning to shape your brain activity A study in the Oct. 1 issue of the journal Sleep shows that the successful manipulation of sensorimotor rhythm (SMR) amplitude by instrumental SMR conditioning (ISC) improved sleep quality as well as declarative learning. ISC might thus be considered a promising non-pharmacological treatment for primary insomnia. Adolescent insomnia linked to depression and substance abuse during adolescence and young adulthood A study in the Oct. 1 issue of the journal Sleep shows that adolescent insomnia symptoms are associated with depression, suicide ideation and attempts, and the use of alcohol, cannabis and other drugs such as cocaine. More Depression Current Events and Depression News Articles |
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||