Abstract

MINAYO, Maria Cecília de Souza; CAVALCANTE, Fátima Gonçalves; MANGAS, Raimunda Matilde  and  SOUZA, Juliana Rangel Alves de. Reasons associated to suicide of elderly people in psychological autopsies. Trivium [online]. 2011, vol.3, n.1, pp. 109-117. ISSN 2176-4891.

We present the results of a qualitative study of suicide of old people in the Rio de Janeiro city between 2004 and 2007 supported by Faperj. The study was based in eight psychological autopsies that allowed us to reconstitute the reasons related to the death of people up to 60 years old. The suicides are associated to depression, severe physical and mental diseases, to sociocultural issues related to professional and socio-economic decadence, to the retirement, and abuse use of money. The suicide occurred with and without family support, with and without medical care. The cumulative fragileness of personal and social resources within the vital cycle shows that the suicide risks in elderly require permanent care from health public area.

Keywords : suicide; elderly suicide; psychological autopsies.

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