Preventing Late Life Suicide: National Institutes of Health Initiatives

Abstract

From a public health perspective, late life suicide is seen primarily as a consequence of untreated mental disorder, particularly depression. However, due to the stigma and agism surrounding mental disorders in late life, there has been limited public awareness that the elderly have the highest rates of suicide, and that they often have treatable depression prior to their suicide. Late life suicide is slowly gaining attention in both the scientific and public arenas. This article reviews in chronological order a number of efforts that have led to heightened awareness and initial public health policy development of late life suicide prevention strategies. The next steps for NIH-sponsored research in late life suicide are described.

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