Suicide Among Older Adults

In addition, the risk of depression increases if older adults suffer from one or more chronic medical conditions that impair their health or ability to function (Alexopoulos, Bruce, Hull, Sirey, & Kakuma, 1999). In 2007, 80% of older adults were living with at least one chronic condition, and 50% were living with two or more (CDC & Merk Foundation, 2007). Moreover, the highest rates of suicide occur among persons over sixty-five years of age which account for 19% of the suicides in the United States (Van Orden & Conwell, 2011). According to the American Association of Suicidology (2014), on average, one older adult kills themselves every hour. Along with these

Throughout the years suicide rates have increased and is a significant public health issue. According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States. However, suicide rates are high among the elderly, yet research on suicide prevention in older adults remains neglected.

Suicide rate is a grow problem in the United States according to the American foundation for suicide prevention more than 41,149 suicides were reported in 2013. The highest rate of suicides is committed by adults between age 45-64 and this is especially true amongst the elderly. Older adults are inflected with a terminal disease, loneness and depression and because of this they are committing suicide at a higher rate. Suicide amongst the men is steadily higher than women, in 2013, 77.9% were male and 22.1% were female. Men success rate for suicide is much higher, because their attempt is more lethal, for example, men are more than likely to shot themselves, whereas women are more likely to use poisons to end their life. Suicide Rate committed race/ethnicity was higher among Whites 14.2%, American Indians and Alaska Natives 11.7%, Asians and Pacific Islanders 5.8%, Blacks 5.4% and Hispanics 5.7%. According to the mean method used to commit suicide is a firearm, then suffocation and poisoning. The main cause of suicide is due to mental health condition and depression is at the foremost leading factor.

"More people in the general population die from suicide than homicide in North America. There are almost 11 suicide deaths each year for every 100,000 people living in the United States, and for every suicide, there are between 8 and 25 attempts" (Brent 4203). Based on this research, the great effect of suicide is displayed. According to dictionary.com, suicide can be defined as "the intentional taking of one's own life." Suicide is a major issue for all people, but it most obviously affects those ranging from ten to twenty-four. People need to understand the tremendous ramifications caused from suicide everyday; when people take their lives, others lose their loved ones. Suicide, one of the leading causes of death of numerous people each day, has reached a crisis point for adolescents and young adults, and it needs to be prevented.

Every suicide effects more than the individual’s life, in truth it impacts families, communities and economic well-being of our nation. According, Piscopo, Lipari, Cooney, and Glasheen, (2016) “Suicide is an important public health problem in the United States and a tragedy for all involved—families, friends, neighbors, colleagues, and communities. In 2014, suicide was the 10th leading cause of death in the United States overall.1 Among people aged 10 to 34, suicide was the second highest cause of death, and for those aged 35 to 54, it was the fourth highest cause of death” (p. 2).

One of the first causes of the suicide at the young people is depression. “According to a survey done using the psychological autopsy method, 70–90% of those who committed suicide had evidence of some mental disorder when alive, and 60–70% were depressed.” (TAKAHASHI, 2001) We consider that approximately 10 % of young adult know a period of depression, and that two thirds of them are females. “Women are twice as likely as men to have depression.” (D. Smith,

Core strategies such as coping mechanisms, creating protective environments, and enhancing access to suicide care and services are presented. Gaining clarity on the CDC’s approaches to suicide reduction in this report will further my ability to evaluate biopsychosocial interventions and the pivotal role of community.

“Suicide occurs when a person ends their life. It is the 11th leading cause of death among Americans. But suicide deaths are only part of the problem. More people survive suicide attempts than actually die. They are often seriously injured and need medical care” (Suicide, 2010). It is important to know the risk factors involved as well as ways to prevent suicide form occurring. As case managers, or any health care professional, it is equally important for us to know what the signs may be in order to properly address them and it is also very beneficial to know HOW to address such a sensitive issue. We have to know that not every suicidal case will be prevented but knowing it will definitely lessen the cases of those that do decide to commit

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in the United States (US) as of the 2015 Suicide Facts at a Glance Report. In 2013 there were 41,149 suicides in the US which calculates to a rate of 12.6 per 100,000 or 113 suicides each day or one every 13 minutes (Centers of Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2015). Emergency departments are often a resource for those seeking assistance for suicidal ideations. This paper will discuss many aspect of suicide including; contributing factors, scope of the problem, populations affected, significance, and approaches used to address the issue.

Suicide and dementia are two rising phenomena’s in society today. Dementia is seen in older citizens, and “the prevalence of severe dementia can reasonably be estimated as approximately 4% in persons over age 65” (DEMENTIA BOOKp.17). Suicide is seen among teens, and people suffering from mental illness. Now, there is a correlation between suicide and dementia starting. Suicide is “death caused by self-directed injurious behavior with an intent to die as a result of the behavior” (Violence Prevention). People who commit suicide think that there is no reason for them to be alive, and that no one cares about them. They feel they are better off dead. Some people have suicidal ideations, where they think about taking their life, and some attempt

Each year in the United States approximately 30,000 or 12.93 per 100,00 (prevalence) persons die each year as a result of suicide with an additional 500,000 making a failed attempt. However, in 2013 the official number of reported deaths by suicide totaled 41,149 or 1.6 percent of all reported deaths in the U.S, thereby making suicide the 10th leading cause of death (American Association of Suicidology, 2015). When comparing global suicide statistics, the U.S. ranks 47th amongst the 116 countries included in the study, and although other countries fair far worse, it is important to note, suicide is preventable (World Health Rankings, 2014). These startling statistics are reversible if, we as a society act to dismantle the stigma associated with both emotional and mental disorders given they are often the precursor of suicidal ideation.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 2015, suicide is the second leading cause of death in the adolescent population in this country and the number of occurrences continues to rise at a dramatic rate. For every teen that completes a suicide, 100 make an attempt, making suicide a paramount public health issue that needs to be addressed. Statistics show that since 2009, the rates of attempted and completed suicide, in this age group continue to steadily increase (Centers for Disease Control [CDC], 2015; Taliaferro, Oberstar, & Wagman-Borowsky, 2012).

At some point in one’s life they may believe that the only solution to their physical or mental problem is suicide. Although, we think that the majority of people who try to commit suicide just want attention. Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the in the United States in 2013, bypassing homicide which came in at 16th place (Facts & Figures, 2014). The facts indications by the CDC estimate that someone will commit suicide in the United States every 13 minutes (Facts & Figures, 2014). Unlike most common disease’s suicide does not discriminate against age, or sex, or social class, it is estimated that males represent 79 percent of the people who do commit suicide in the United States (Facts & Figures, 2014).

Mental health issues such depression, anxiety is a health burden that negatively affects many people’s quality of life, especially older adults. In this Literature review we will use the terms older adults, elderly, baby boomer when referring to people ages 65 and older. “The rate of suicide in those aged 65 years and over has been increasing over the past three decades in most industrialized countries, with marked increases in both attempted suicides and death by suicide in the late 1980s” (Deuter, 2016). Older adults in the United States and many countries around the world die by suicide at elevated rates compared with younger adults (Conwell, and Van Orden, 2016). In addition to the age different, suicide seem to affect man and women differently with the baby boomer population. Men die more from suicide compare to women, even though females suicide attempt rate is higher (Heisel, 2006). Deuter reports that, in 2013, 7215 people aged 65 years and over died by suicide the USA, which accounts for 17.5% of the national total of suicide deaths (2016). The elevation of suicide in the elder is not only limited to the United States. According to Conwell (2013), the number of adults 65 year and older who died in the US is 6000 and 20,000 died worldwide, in 2010. The elderly population have become increasing prone to committing suicide and considered to be a population at risk. We will focus on the cause, challenges/controversy, and solutions that were used to address the issue of

Suicide is currently the 10th leading cause of death in the United States (Suicide and Self-Inflicted Injury, 2017). On average, 121 Americans complete suicide each day (CDC Fatal Injuries Report 2015, 2015). The American people are living longer with advances to medical care and technology, yet suicide rates continue to rise. According to the CDC, suicide rates have increased by 24% from the year 1999 to 2014 (Curtain, Warner & Hedegaard, 2016). Consequently, the suicide epidemic continues to grow with no clear path to prevention. This literature review was conducted using the Robert Morris University Library online databases. Databases accessed include PubMed…………., from the years 2000 to 2017. Overall, most the articles obtained are