Premium
Age‐Specific Characteristics of Serious Suicide Attempters in China
Author(s) -
Zhao Pengcheng,
Yang Rong,
Phillips Michael R.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
suicide and life‐threatening behavior
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.544
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1943-278X
pISSN - 0363-0234
DOI - 10.1521/suli.2010.40.4.383
Subject(s) - suicide prevention , psychiatry , poison control , injury prevention , mood , suicide attempt , residence , human factors and ergonomics , mood disorders , medicine , occupational safety and health , substance abuse , alcohol abuse , intervention (counseling) , psychology , demography , medical emergency , anxiety , pathology , sociology
Characteristics of four age groups of patients with medically serious suicide attempts from nine general hospitals in China ( N = 617) were compared. There were no significant age‐group differences by residence (rural vs. urban), method of attempt, proportion with prior attempts, or level of family functioning. Attempters <20 years of age were less likely to use alcohol at the time of the attempt. Attempters age 20–44 years had less regular contact with family members but were more likely to make the attempt in the presence of someone else. And attempters ≥ 45 years were more likely to have high suicidal intent, lower quality of life, mood disorders, and substance abuse disorders. These results highlight the need for age‐specific intervention programs for suicide attempters.