Sociodemographic and Clinical Characteristics of Older Adults With Suicide-Related Emergency Department Presentations
type: Article
item type: journalArticle
is part of: J Aging Health
authors: Person
  surname: Gysin-Maillart
  given name: A.
authors: Person
  surname: Bettschen
  given name: D.
authors: Person
  surname: Annaheim
  given name: P. Md
authors: Person
  surname: Brogna
  given name: S.
authors: Person
  surname: Walther
  given name: S.
authors: Person
  surname: Waern
  given name: M.
authors: Person
  surname: Muller
  given name: M.
authors: Person
  surname: Exadaktylos
  given name: A. K.
authors: Person
  surname: Klukowska-Rotzler
  given name: J.
subject: article.
subject: characteristics
subject: emergency department
subject: of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this
subject: older adults
subject: suicidal behavior
subject: suicidal ideation
abstract: OBJECTIVES: To identify characteristics of older adult emergency department (ED) patients aged >/=65 with suicidal ideation and/or behavior. METHODS: A single center retrospective chart review analyzed 392 patients (>/=65) with suicidal ideation and/or behavior (2013-2019). Comprehensive full-text searches were used. Subgroup analyses for age and gender were conducted. RESULTS: Depressive disorder was documented in 50% of cases. Notably, 54% of all women were prescribed antidepressants, compared to only 31% of men. Most patients had general medical conditions (74.5%) and chronic multimorbidity (71.2%). Social stress affected 40.1%; 35.7% were intoxicated upon presentation. Alcohol abuse was more common in the 65-74 age group, while dementia impacted 20% of those >/=75. Men had a six-fold higher 30-day post-discharge mortality. DISCUSSION: Older ED patients with suicidal ideation and/or behavior exhibit typical characteristics. The dementia prevalence suggests tailored care for those >/=75, and the heightened post-discharge mortality rate in older men requires further research.
date: 2024-07-20
pages: 8982643241261094
coverage: 39030841

J Aging Health
type: Journal
identifier: DOI 10.1177/08982643241261094
identifier: ISSN 1552-6887 (Electronic) 0898-2643 (Linking)