SUICIDE AMONG YOUTH AND THE ELDERLY.   Term Paper ID:30207 Click to get this paper

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Paper Abstract: Compares and contrasts suicide in both age groups. Epidemiological diagnoses (risk factors, psychiatric illness, health changes, depression, hopelessness). Behavioral diagnosis (family discord, love problems, substance abuse, school problems, social isolation). Educational diagnosis (influence of peers, home, school). Use of firearms as most popular method of suicide of both age groups. Paper Introduction: SUICIDE AMONG YOUTH AND ELDERLY This research paper will present, compare and contrast the topic of suicide among the youth and the elderly. Focus will also include a description of an epidemiological, behavioral, and educational diagnosis. Suicide Among the Youth The CDC reported that the number of suicides in 1988 was 30,575 or 11.13 per 100,000 American population. Suicide is the eighth leading cause of death. Females attempt suicide more than males, and males die four times more (73% white males). Suicide is the third cause of death for those ages 15 to 24, the fourth leading cause of death for those ages 10 to 14 years, and rates increase with age (highest for 65 years and older) (NCIPC, 2001; The Surgeon General, 1999). Firearm-related suicides are the most popular (62 perce Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. Firearm-related suicides are themost popular (62 percent) (NCIPC, 2 1).Epidemiological Diagnosis As with the elderly, being a white male provides the greatest risk foryouth suicide, with risk for black males increasing (NCIPC, 2 1).Psychiatric illness and hopelessness are also found. Hill, R. W., & Ishida, T. E., & Thompson, L. Suicide rates are higher for those elderly that are divorced orwidowed and this group more than the young, tends to be more sociallyisolated. This age group seeks peer support, andcurrently destructive behavior is reinforced. (1993). Identification of those at risk andtreatment of this population, crisis intervention, and treatment forattempters is also recommended. W.(1991). U.S. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) (1995). Department of Health and Human Services, PublicHealth Service. Theserisks include a higher degree of physical illness and depression (NCIPC,2 1). (1988).Hopelessness as a measure of suicidal intent in the depressed elderly.Psychology and Aging, 3(3), 23 -232. They stated that prevention efforts need to include education and policyregarding firearms management. Garland and Zigler (1993) reported risk factors for the young toinclude possible neurotransmitter imbalances and genetic predictors, poorcognitive abilities, self-efficacy and problem-solving skills, concernsover sexual identity and psychiatric disorders. With theseinfluences and other predisposing factors, schools that are not equipped tointervene, become enabling factors. This tendencyto seek professional help offers an intervention opportunity (The SurgeonGeneral, 1999).Educational Diagnosis Since this age group compared to the young, suffers from not onlysimilar predisposing factors such as depression and personal crisis butfrom additional factors such as isolation, community care resources must beincreased. CDC. Private insurance for both age groups need to provide forquality treatment of mental disorders and substance abuse problems. Factors that enable andreinforce suicidal behavior include social, familial, and behavioralfunctioning such as decreased inhibitions due to intoxication. CDC. Prevention of adolescent suicide is listedas including use of the school as a gatekeeper, increasing suicideeducation, screening programs, peer support programs, crisis centers andhotlines, restriction of access to lethal means, and intervention after asuicide (MMWR, 1994). Suicide is the eighth leading causeof death. (1999). Department of Health and Human Services,Public Health Service. (2 1).Suicide in the United States. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) (1994). Unlike the elderly,reported reasons for suicide attempts include pregnancy (MMWR, 1995). Hill, Gallagher, Thompson, and Ishida (1988) reported that suicidefor the elderly is related to depression, health changes, and fear ofhaving a limited future. A Congressional view of youth suicide.American Psychologist, 48(2), 183-184. Behavioral factors associated with the youth such as substance abuse,conduct, violence, school problems, and use of firearms, can be addressedto prevent suicide. Department of Health and Human Services, U.S.Public Health Service. Increased awareness andrestriction of the elderly's ability to have access to firearms wouldpotentially prevent suicide (The Surgeon General, 1999). SUICIDE AMONG YOUTH AND ELDERLY This research paper will present, compare and contrast the topic ofsuicide among the youth and the elderly. A possible solution toincreased suicide rates for the elderly lies in this fact. The elderly are more likely thanthe young to not only be socially isolated but live alone (The SurgeonGeneral, 1999). Programs for theprevention of suicide among adolescents and young adults, suicide contagionand the reporting of suicide: recommendations from a national workshop.MMWR, 43(RR-6), 1-19. The Surgeon General's call to action toprevent suicide, 1999. Stressfullife events are associated with risk, attempters experience more familyturmoil and social instability. Firearms were the most popular method(NCIPC, 2 1).Epidemiological Diagnosis Risk factors for the elderly differ from those of the youth. Garland and Zigler (1993) report additional risk factors to includesexual or physical abuse, divorce in families, unemployment and laborstrikes, and even the phases of the moon. Suicide Among the Youth The CDC reported that the number of suicides in 1988 was 3 ,575 or11.13 per 1 , American population. MMWR,44(16), 312-322. Fatal andnonfatal suicide attempts among adolescents-Oregon, 1988-1993. References Ackerman, G. (1993). Found online at:www.cic.gov/ncipe/factsheets/suifacts.htm The Surgeon General. Garland and Zigler (1993) report on behavioral causes of adolescentsuicide to include use of firearms, substance abuse and violent rock music. Workplaces can become referral sources for mental and physicalhealth services. From the period of198 to 1998, the largest increase in suicide rates for the elderly was forthose 8 to 84 years of age. L., Gallagher, D. Found online at:www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/calltoaction/calltoaction.htm This group is more likely than the younger population to have visiteda health care professional prior to their suicide. Gilewski, M. CDC. F., & Zigler, E. Strategies need to be implemented to reduce the stigmathat is associated with these behaviors as well as that of suicide, inorder to allow for increased public and health care providers andprevention programs (The Surgeon General, 1999). The elderly also have a higher ratio of males to females, withrates of divorced or widowed men being 2.7 times higher than those who aremarried, 1.4 times higher than those who never married, and 17 timesgreater than married women (NCIPC, 2 1). J., Farberow, N. Psychology and Aging, 6(1), 67-75. Almost all teenage suicideattempts are associated with psychiatric illness.Behavioral Diagnosis Behavioral factors reported include family discord, arguments withboy/girlfriend, school-related problems, peer pressure/conflict, substanceabuse, rape/sexual abuse, moving, death of family member, physical abuse,and suicide of friend/relative. Also included as a major riskfactor and single most predictor is a previous suicide attempt.Availability of a firearm adds to this risk. Females attempt suicide more than males, and males die fourtimes more (73% white males). Suicide Among the Elderly Suicide rates are highest among those ages 65 years and older, withmale suicides accounting for 83 percent of this group. D., Gallagher, D., Thompson, L. Findings of the current study were thathopelessness, depression, and health perceptions were interrelated andpredictive of suicidal ideation, with depression accounting for thegreatest percentage of predictive value, followed by hopelessness andphysical health. CDC. Gilewski, Farberrow, Gallagher, and Thompson (1991) further studieddepression in the elderly, with the additional component of bereavement.Results showed that those elderly with clinical depression at the time ofspouse death were at risk for psychological complications; survivors ofspouses that had committed suicide were at even more risk.Behavioral Diagnosis The elderly differ from the youth in that they have greater use oflethal methods and suffer from greater social isolation (NCIPC, 2 1).Knowledge that this group has this access to lethal methods and the factthat firearms are the most popular method for suicide offers informationthat can be used to help prevent this act. Focus will also include adescription of an epidemiological, behavioral, and educational diagnosis. Familymembers need to become aware of risk factors, community resources, and howto respond to early warning signs of suicide risk (The Surgeon General,1999). Garland, A. Interaction of depression and bereavement on mental health in theelderly. The most common reasons found were familydiscord (59.4 percent), argument with boy/girlfriend (32.6 percent), andschool-related problems (23 percent (MMWR, 1995). Suicide is the third cause of death forthose ages 15 to 24, the fourth leading cause of death for those ages 1 to14 years, and rates increase with age (highest for 65 years and older)(NCIPC, 2 1; The Surgeon General, 1999). U.S. Adolescent suicide preventioncurrent research and social policy implications. Curriculum-based prevention programs inschools are being used (since 1981) to raise awareness of the problem.Educational Diagnosis Ackerman (1993) reported influences on teen behavior to be peers (87percent), home (57 percent), and (47 percent) school. Crisis intervention andprograms that provide reinforcement for help seeking are needed (TheSurgeon General, 1999). American Psychologist,48(2), 169-182. L. 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