ERIC Number: EJ785840
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2006-Dec
Pages: 15
Abstractor: Author
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0363-0234
EISSN: N/A
Explaining Cross-State Differences in Elderly Suicide Rates and Identifying State-Level Public Policy Responses that Reduce Rates
Giles-Sims, Jean; Lockhart, Charles
Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior, v36 n6 p694-708 Dec 2006
Elderly Americans commit suicide at higher rates than other age groups. We contend that macro- and micro-social variables contribute distinct aspects to explanations of this tragic loss: the former focus on circumstances that affect overall rates, the latter reveal why certain individuals succumb to suicide. Our analysis focuses on the macro-social end of a causal sequence including variables at both levels. We describe how elderly suicide rates vary among states, show that macrosocial indicators of social integration contribute to cross-state variation in elderly suicide rates, and explain how selected aspects of state-level public policy contribute to reducing elderly suicide rates.
Descriptors: Social Integration, Suicide, Older Adults, Public Policy, Age Differences, Social Influences, Causal Models, Geographic Regions
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A