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Suicide in Later Life: Psychological Autopsy Findings

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 January 2005

Yeates Conwell ,
Kurt Olsen ,
Eric D. Caine  and
Catherine Flannery
Yeates Conwell
Affiliation:
UR-NIMH Clinical Research Center for the Study of Psychopathology of the Elderly (CRC/PE), University of Rochester School of Medicine, Rochester, New York, U.S.A.
Kurt Olsen
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Union College, Schenectady, New York, U.S.A.
Eric D. Caine
Affiliation:
CRC/PE, University of Rochester School of Medicine, Rochester, New York, U.S.A.
Catherine Flannery
Affiliation:
CRC/PE, University of Rochester School of Medicine, Rochester, New York, U.S.A.
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Abstract

The authors report preliminary data from a psychological autopsy study of completed suicide in late life. Sixteen of 18 victims had diagnosable psychopathology, most commonly major depression of late onset. Symptoms manifest prior to death are described and directions for future investigation discussed. The psychological autopsy is shown to be a viable method for studying suicide in the elderly.

Type
Clinical Practice and Service Development
Information
International Psychogeriatrics , Volume 3 , Issue 1 , March 1991 , pp. 59 - 66
Copyright
© 1991 Springer Publishing Company

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