Are elderly suicide rates improved by increased provision of mental health service resources? A cross-national study

2008 ◽  
Vol 20 (06) ◽  
pp. 1230 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ajit Shah ◽  
Ravi Bhat
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Health Service ◽  
Health Service ◽  
National Study ◽  
Suicide Rates ◽  
Elderly Suicide ◽  
Cross National Study ◽  
Cross National

scholarly journals A replication of a cross-national study of the relationship between elderly suicide rates and urbanization

2009 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 162-163 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ajit Shah
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
National Study ◽  
Religious Institutions ◽  
Suicide Rates ◽  
Economic Process ◽  
Process Of Urbanization ◽  
Elderly Suicide ◽  
Cross National Study ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Cross National

Modernization is a social and economic process consisting of three interrelated processes of industrialization, urbanization and secularization. The process of industrialization may provide greater economic opportunities in urban areas and facilitate migration of people from rural to urban areas. This process of urbanization may lead to a weakening of ties with family, friends, local religious institutions and original place of residence. Difficulties in adjusting to the new urban environment may increase the risk of suicide and see a rise in suicide rates (Stack, 2000).

scholarly journals The relationship between elderly suicide rates and telephone use: a cross-national study

2010 ◽  
Vol 22 (7) ◽  
pp. 1191-1192
Author(s):  
Ajit Shah ◽  
Sofia Zarate-Escudero ◽  
Manjunatha Somayaji
Keyword(s):  
Social Workers ◽  
Elderly People ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
Psychiatric Services ◽  
National Study ◽  
Suicide Rates ◽  
Elderly Suicide ◽  
Cross National Study ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Cross National

Social isolation is an important determinant of elderly suicides (Shah and De, 1998). If elderly people have telephones then social isolation can be reduced as they can contact friends and relatives and vice versa. Also, the elderly can use the telephone to seek help from telephone helplines, general practitioners, social workers, psychiatric services and friends and relatives. Additionally, general practitioners, social workers, psychiatric services and friends and relatives can contact elderly people to check on them and support them. However, a major criticism of such interventions is that those determined to kill themselves are unlikely to use a helpline. There are several studies looking at the relationship between suicide and telephone help lines. These studies showed evidence that the helpline reduced suicidality during the course of the telephone consultation or immediately afterwards and reduced the number of re-attempted suicides (De Leo et al., 1995; Mishara and Daigle, 1997; Vaiva et al., 2006; Gould et al., 2007). A study of elderly participants reported an association between lower suicide rates and availability of a telephone help and telephone check service (De Leo et al., 1995). This service provided elderly people with home assistance by allowing them to call for help and to receive weekly assessments of needs and emotional support. However, there are only a limited number of studies in this area. Therefore, a cross-national study examining the relationship between elderly suicide rates and the prevalence of societal use of telephone was undertaken.

scholarly journals A replication of a non-linear association of educational attainment and suicide rates among the elderly using five-year data

2009 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 339-339 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ajit Shah
Keyword(s):  
Educational Attainment ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
National Study ◽  
Curvilinear Relationship ◽  
Suicide Rates ◽  
Elderly Suicide ◽  
One Year ◽  
Cross National Study ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Cross National

A recent cross-national study demonstrated that the relationship between elderly suicide rates and educational attainment is curvilinear (U-shaped curve) (Shah and Chatterjee, 2008). That study used only one-year data on suicide rates for the latest available year. These findings may have been spurious as suicide rates can randomly fluctuate year on year (Shah and Coupe, 2009). Therefore, this curvilinear relationship was examined using a one-year average of five-year data on elderly suicide rates to establish the accuracy of the earlier findings.

A replication of the relationship between elderly suicide rates and the human development index in a cross-national study

2010 ◽  
Vol 22 (5) ◽  
pp. 727-732 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ajit Shah
Keyword(s):  
Quadratic Equation ◽  
National Study ◽  
Curvilinear Relationship ◽  
Elderly Male ◽  
Suicide Rates ◽  
Male Suicide ◽  
Elderly Suicide ◽  
One Year ◽  
Cross National Study ◽  
Cross National

ABSTRACTBackground: A recent cross-national study demonstrated a curvilinear (inverted U-shaped curve) between elderly male suicide rates and the Human Development Index (HDI) fitting the quadratic equation y = a + bx − cx2 where y is the elderly male suicide rate, x is the HDI and a, b and c are constants). This study used only one-year cross-sectional data on suicide rates, and suicide rates can randomly fluctuate year on year.Methods: A study designed to replicate this curvilinear relationship between elderly suicide rates and the HDI was undertaken by: (i) using one-year average of five years data on suicide rates; and (ii) using more recent data on both elderly suicide rates than used in the previous study. Data were ascertained from the World Health Organization and the United Nations.Results: There was a significant curvilinear (inverted U-shaped curve) relationship between suicide rates in males aged 65–74 years, males aged 75+ years, females aged 65–74 years and the HDI fitting the quadratic equation y = a + bx − cx2. A similar curvilinear relationship was observed in females aged 75+ years, but the significance level only approached 0.05 level.Conclusions: The replication of the curvilinear (inverted U-shaped curve) relationship between elderly suicide rates and the HDI by using one-year average of five years data on suicide rates suggests that the observed relationship is robust and accurate.

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