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Suicides Among Older Persons in Finland and Time Since Hospitalization Discharge

Ms. Karvonen and Dr. Hakko are affiliated with the Department of Psychiatry Oulu University Hospital, P.O. Box 90026, Oulu FIN-90029 OYS, Finland (e-mail: helina.hakko{at}oulu.fi). Dr. Koponen is with the Department of Psychiatry, University of Kuopio, Kuopio, Finland. Dr. Meyer-Rochow is with the Departments of Physiology and Biology, International University Bremen, School of Engineering and Science, Bremen, Germany. Dr. Räsänen is with the Department of Psychiatry, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the timing of suicide among elderly and middle-aged persons after their final hospitalization and examined characteristics of suicides in relation to the timing of suicide. METHODS: Data were examined for Northern Finnish middle-aged (50–64 years, N=370) and elderly (65 years or older, N=194) suicide victims. Suicides were classified by a forensic examiner. RESULTS: Compared with elderly persons whose suicide occurred more than 180 days after hospitalization or who had had no hospitalizations, elderly persons who committed suicide within one week after hospitalization were more likely to have a history of hospital-treated psychiatric and alcohol-related disorders and depression and were more likely to have been given a psychiatric diagnosis at their last hospitalization. Compared with elderly men, elderly women were more likely to commit suicide in the first month after being discharged from the hospital. CONCLUSIONS: An increased risk of suicide after hospitalization should be taken into account in the treatment arrangements for elderly persons.

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