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Late life suicide in Italy, 1980–2015

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Abstract

Aim

Suicide trends in older adults were examined in Italy from 1980 to 2015. Age groups considered were 65–74 years, 75–84 and 85 + years.

Methods

Data on suicide deaths were obtained from the Italian Mortality Database (IMDB) collected by the Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT) and processed by the Statistics Unit of the Italian National Institute of Health (Istituto Superiore di Sanità). Joinpoint regression analyses were carried out for age subgroups by sex. In addition, data related to four main macro-areas of Italy were considered: North-West, North-East, Centre, and South with Islands (Sicily and Sardinia).

Results

Starting by 1985, declines were noted in all age groups with more noticeable decreases in older adults aged 75–84 and 85 + years. Female subjects demonstrated more ample falls in rates than male individuals. Declines were detected in all macro-areas of Italy.

Conclusion

Improved health assistance and quality of life of older individuals have probably contributed to the decline of suicide rates of senior citizens, who also showed improved poverty indices in the country, differently from all other age groups.

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Funding

No specific fund was requested (or obtained) for this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Australian Institute for Suicide Research and Prevention, Griffith University, Mt Gravatt Campus, Brisbane, 4122, Australia

    Diego De Leo & Kairi Kolves

  2. Slovenian Centre for Suicide Research, Primorska University, Koper, Slovenia

    Diego De Leo

  3. Istituto Superiore di Sanita’, Rome, Italy

    Monica Vichi

  4. Psychiatric Clinic, University of Rome ‘La Sapienza’, Rome, Italy

    Maurizio Pompili

Authors
  1. Diego De Leo
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  2. Monica Vichi
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  3. Kairi Kolves
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  4. Maurizio Pompili
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Correspondence to Diego De Leo.

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This study was based on examination of official data only. This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors.

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De Leo, D., Vichi, M., Kolves, K. et al. Late life suicide in Italy, 1980–2015. Aging Clin Exp Res 32, 465–474 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-019-01431-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40520-019-01431-z

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