Suicide in elderly population in Sao Paulo State, Brazil

• Autor(a) principal: Gianvecchio, Victor Alexandre Percinio
• Data de Publicação: 2023
• Outros Autores: Mello Jorge, Maria Helena Prado de
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Debates em Psiquiatria (Online)
• Texto Completo: https://revistardp.org.br/revista/article/view/712
• topic: suicídio; idoso; epidemiologia; suicide; aged; epidemiology; suicidio; anciano; epidemiologia

Objective: to study suicide in the elderly population of the state of São Paulo, Brazil, evidencing personal characteristics of the event and some of its possible risk factors. Methodology: the data used came from the Public Security Department of the State of São Paulo, based on police reports, complemented by information from the Forensic Medical Institute. Results: the results showed the occurrence of 380 deaths by suicide among the elderly in 2015, projecting a mortality rate equal to 6.7 per 100,000 inhabitants, with a clear predominance of males and 75 years of age or older. Hanging was the most used method, followed by exogenous intoxication, in both sexes; the third position was occupied by firearms, in men, and fall from heights of high in women. Known as an important risk factor for suicide, mental disorders, especially depression, were mentioned in 38.2% of the cases as possible motivators for the suicidal act. Besides this, other pathologies were mentioned in 20.3%, and other problems, such as personal relationships, family losses, and financial problems, in 18.2% of the cases. It was also verified that previous suicide attempts had occurred in 36 cases. Conclusions: The results made it possible to establish the epidemiological profile of suicide in this population, in addition to knowing details about possible risk factors, extremely important elements when thinking about prevention. Because of the richness of details, the use of this source should have stimulated in complementation to the Mortality Information System (SIM/MS).