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Social inclusion affects elderly suicide mortality

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 September 2010

Andriy Yur`yev ,
Lauri Leppik ,
Liina-Mai Tooding ,
Merike Sisask ,
Peeter Värnik ,
Jing Wu  and
Airi Värnik
Andriy Yur`yev*
Affiliation:
Estonian-Swedish Mental Health and Suicidology Institute (ERSI), Center of Behavioural and Health Sciences and Tallinn University, Tallinn, Estonia
Lauri Leppik
Affiliation:
Tallinn University, Tallinn, Estonia
Liina-Mai Tooding
Affiliation:
University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
Merike Sisask
Affiliation:
Estonian-Swedish Mental Health and Suicidology Institute (ERSI), Center of Behavioural and Health Sciences and Tallinn University, Tallinn, Estonia
Peeter Värnik
Affiliation:
Estonian-Swedish Mental Health and Suicidology Institute (ERSI), Center of Behavioural and Health Sciences and Tallinn University, Tallinn, Estonia
Jing Wu
Affiliation:
Estonian-Swedish Mental Health and Suicidology Institute (ERSI), Center of Behavioural and Health Sciences and Tallinn University, Tallinn, Estonia
Airi Värnik
Affiliation:
Estonian-Swedish Mental Health and Suicidology Institute (ERSI), Center of Behavioural and Health Sciences and Tallinn University, Tallinn, Estonia
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Dr. Andriy Yur`yev, MD, MA, Estonian-Swedish Mental Health and Suicidology Institute, Õie 39, Tallinn 11615, Estonia. Phone/Fax: +3726516550. Email: [email protected]; [email protected].
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Abstract

Background: National attitudes towards the elderly and their association with elderly suicide mortality in 26 European countries were assessed, and Eastern and Western European countries compared.

Methods: For each country, mean age-adjusted, gender-specific elderly suicide rates in the last five years for which data had been available were obtained from the WHO European Mortality Database. Questions about citizens’ attitudes towards the elderly were taken from the European Social Survey. Correlations between attitudes and suicide rates were analyzed using Pearson's test. Differences between mean scores for Western and Eastern European attitudes were calculated, and data on labor-market exit ages were obtained from the EUROSTAT database.

Results: Perception of the elderly as having higher status, recognition of their economic contribution and higher moral standards, and friendly feelings towards and admiration of them are inversely correlated with suicide mortality. Suicide rates are lower in countries where the elderly live with their families more often. Elderly suicide mortality and labor-market exit age are inversely correlated. In Eastern European countries, elderly people's status and economic contribution are seen as less important. Western Europeans regard the elderly with more admiration, consider them more friendly and more often have elderly relatives in the family. The data also show gender differences.

Conclusions: Society's attitudes influence elderly suicide mortality; attitudes towards the elderly are more favorable among Western European citizens; and extended labor-market inclusion of the elderly is a suicide-protective factor.

Keywords

elderlyageismattitudesEastern Europelabor-market exit ageEuropean Social SurveyolderWestern Europe
Type
Research Article
Information
International Psychogeriatrics , Volume 22 , Special Issue 8: Focus on prevention in psychogeriatrics , December 2010 , pp. 1337 - 1343
Copyright
Copyright © International Psychogeriatric Association 2010

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