Official U. S. Elderly Suicide Data Bases: Levels, Availability, Omissions

The status of available U. S. súicide data for older people is presented. Among the issues considered are the problems and characteristics of official suicide figures and their limitations and omissions, specifically with regard to elderly suicide. Older persons are shown to be at highest risk for suicide but also have declining rates. At present, however, data are unavailable or inadequate to more fully understand the phenomenon of elderly suicide or explain its long-term decline. It is proposed that more detailed mortality records are necessary in order to adequately explain suicide among elderly people.