Suicide Risk Factors among Polish Adults Aged 65 or Older in 2000–2018 Compared with Selected Countries Worldwide

Bibliographic Data

ID15500824
AuthorsWitold Śmigielski (0000-0002-5239-2988, University of Lodz, corresponding author), Karolina Małek (0000-0001-8885-3750, University of Warsaw), Tomasz Jurczyk (0000-0003-3557-6985, The Specialist Family Clinic of Bemowo District in the Capital City of Warsaw, Gen. T. Pełczyńskiego 28 E. St., 01-471 Warsaw, Poland), Karol Korczak (0000-0003-1936-1423, University of Lodz), Robert Gajda (0000-0002-8305-8130, Center for Sports Cardiology at the Gajda-Med Medical Center in Pułtusk, Piotra Skargi 23/29 St., 06-100 Pułtusk, Poland), Alicja Cicha‐Mikołajczyk (0000-0002-5870-6087, Institute of Cardiology), Jerzy Piwoński (0000-0003-0210-990X, Institute of Cardiology), Joanna Śmigielska-Kolańska (Specialist Psychiatric Health Center in Lodz, Babiński Hospital, 159 Aleksandrowska St., 91-229 Lodz, Poland), Janusz Śmigielski (0000-0003-0274-1446, State University of Applied Sciences in Konin), Wojciech Drygas (0000-0002-4351-6459, Medical University of Lodz), Piotr Gałecki (0000-0003-2447-5636, Medical University of Lodz)
Year2021
Volume18
Issue18
Pages9921-9921
Publication date2021-09-21
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1661-7827 • E-ISSN: 1660-4601
PublisherMultidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (PUBLISHER • CH)
DOI10.3390/ijerph18189921
PMID34574845
OpenAlexW3199275908
LanguageEN
References cited39

The aim of this study was to determine the tendencies of change in suicide frequency among Polish adults aged 65 or older, recognize the importance of available socio-demographic data (age, sex, marital status, and education attainment level) and provide an in-depth psychological understanding of the obtained results. We analysed the influence of education and marital status on suicide risk in the Polish adult population aged 65 or older, which has not been previously presented in publications related to the Central Statistical Office or any other research. Our results indicated that male adults aged 65 or older that were single or divorced and with a lower education had a higher risk of death by suicide. In female adults aged 65 or older, those with higher education and who were divorced or married had a higher risk of fatal suicide behaviour meanwhile, single women and widows had a lower risk. The dominant method of suicide among Polish older adults was suicide by hanging, regardless of sex; female older adults were more likely to die by suicide by poisoning or jumping from a height, and male older adults were more likely to die by shooting with a firearm. Although data from recent years highlights a downward trend for suicide rates in Polish older adults, the problem cannot be considered solved

Educational attainment · Injury prevention · Marital status · Medical emergency · Poison control · Population · Suicide methods · Suicide prevention · Suicide rates · Suicide Risk · Death Anxiety and Social Exclusion · Demography · Health disparities and outcomes · Medicine · Psychology · Suicide and Self-Harm Studies · Gerontology

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