The health status of elderly persons in the last year of life: A comparison of deaths by suicide, injury, and natural causes

Objectives. This study identified health status variables related to suicide by elderly persons and compared the health status of suicide decedents with natural death and injury decedents. Methods. Data were obtained from the 1986 National Mortality Followback Survey. Results. When other variables were controlled for, suicide decedents were significantly more likely than injury decedents to have a history of cancer (odds ratio [OR] = 51.94), moderate (OR = 29.37) or heavy (OR = 22.87) alcohol use, and mental or emotional disorder (OR = 10.91) and to be White (OR = 18.54) and male (OR = 9.12). Conclusions. The findings indicate that a history of cancer should be considered as a risk for suicide in the elderly.