Methods of Suicide by Age: Sex and Race Differences among the Young and Old

@article{McIntosh1985MethodsOS,
  title={Methods of Suicide by Age: Sex and Race Differences among the Young and Old},
  author={John L McIntosh and J F Santos},
  journal={The International Journal of Aging and Human Development},
  year={1985},
  volume={22},
  pages={123 - 139}
}
The elderly have the highest suicide rate in the United States. In partial explanation of this finding, a common statement in the suicide literature is that older persons tend to use more drastic and effective methods of suicide. However, little, if any, data have been presented in defense of this explanation. In order to investigate the validity of this contention, annual official statistics for specific methods of suicide (firearms, hanging, poisons) by age for different sex and racial groups… 
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It is extensively documented that the highest suicide rate for all groups in the United States exists among the elderly (see, for example, Conwell, 1992; McIntosh & Santos, 1986). Although suicide…
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Differences in the characteristics of those individuals choosing violent methods of suicide in South Yorkshire were studied and hanging was particularly favored by those with what might be considered an impulsive reason for suicide, namely, the end of a relationship with a member of the opposite sex.
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Suicide is rare among older African American women. This article describes a study in which reasons for this phenomenon were explored. A study of attitudes toward suicide was conducted with a sample…
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The case fatality results suggest differences in motive among different demographic groups: possibly the wish to die is stronger among men and elderly and the success to be expected from different preventive measures.
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TLDR
This article comprehensively review key extant psychological and sociological theories of suicide and discusses each theory's applicability to the understanding and prevention of suicide among older adults.
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