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Gender and age group differences in suicide risk associated with co-morbid physical and psychiatric disorders in older adults

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 September 2016

Helen-Maria Vasiliadis ,
Catherine Lamoureux-Lamarche  and
Samantha Gontijo Guerra
Helen-Maria Vasiliadis*
Affiliation:
Department of Community Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada Charles-Le Moyne Hospital Research Center, Greenfield Park, Quebec, Canada
Catherine Lamoureux-Lamarche
Affiliation:
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
Samantha Gontijo Guerra
Affiliation:
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Helen-Maria Vasiliadis, MSc, PhD, Université de Sherbrooke, Chercheure Centre de recherche – Hôpital Charles-Le Moyne, Campus Longueuil, 150 Place Charles-Le Moyne bureau 200, Longueuil (QC) J4K 0A8, Canada. Phone: +(450) 466-5000, ext. 3701; Fax: +(450) 670-4135. Email: helen-maria.vasiliadis@usherbrooke.ca.
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Abstract

Background:

It is unclear whether health service use influences the association between psychiatric and physical co-morbidity and suicide risk in older adults.

Methods:

Controls were older adults (n = 2,494) participating in a longitudinal study on the health of the elderly carried out between 2004 and 2007, in Quebec. The cases were all suicide decedents (n = 493) between 2004 and 2007, confirmed by the Quebec Coroner's office. Multivariate analyses were carried out to test the association between suicide and the presence of psychiatric and physical illnesses controlling for health service use and socio-demographic factors by gender and age group. Interaction terms were also tested between suicide and co-morbidity on outpatient service use.

Results:

The presence of physical illnesses only, was associated with a reduced risk of suicide across all sex and age groups. The presence of a mental disorder only was associated with an increased risk of suicide overall and specifically in females and those aged 70 to 84 years of age. Suicide risk was lower in those with a psychiatric and physical co-morbidity and consulting mental health services.

Conclusions:

Increased mental health follow-up in older adults with psychiatric illnesses is needed for the detection of suicidal behavior and reducing suicide risk in males. Further research should focus on the mitigating effect of the presence of physical illnesses on stigma and health service use and the presence of social support in the elderly.

Keywords

suicidechronic physical ilnessespsychiatric ilnessesco-morbidity
Type
Research Article
Information
International Psychogeriatrics , Volume 29 , Issue 2 , February 2017 , pp. 249 - 257
Copyright
Copyright © International Psychogeriatric Association 2016 

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