Trends in Violent Death among the Elderly

Abstract

Since a literature review produced no study of violent death rates over time among the elderly, the author presents data to suggest the extent to which rates for homicide, suicide, all accidents, motor vehicle accidents, and other accidents have changed in the U.S. for each age category from 1960 to 1975. Rates for these causes of death among the elderly are also broken down by sex and race. While homicide rates among the elderly have increased over this sixteen year period by approximately 100 per cent there has been an offsetting decrease in rates for the other violent causes of death. Consequently, the overall violent death rate among the elderly has decreased significantly over this time period. The pattern of decreases in accidents and suicide and increases in homicide is also found when the elderly population is broken down by sex and race.