Relationship of Suicide Mortality to Aging : Modification of the Aging Effects by Socioeconomic Factors

Abstract

To investigate the effects of aging on suicide mortality and the significance of socioeconomical factors as the modifiers of the aging effect, a cohort analysis and a cohort analysis-based ecologic study across 47 prefectures were conducted using the long-term vital statistics data in Japan. The increment in suicide mortality with aging substantially differed by birth cohort even within an identical age class, revealing that the relationship of aging to suicide mortality could be largely affected by the contemporary socioeconomical conditions. In almost all the birth cohorts, the greatest suicide increase with aging were noted for the adolescence (Age : 15 to 25). The results of the ecologic study on suicide mortality changes between 1990 and 1995 suggested that family composition, health status and the condition of medical services, and educational environment may play key roles as the modifiers of the aging effects on suicide mortality changes during the specific stages of the aging process. These results may provide some guidelines for the embodiment of improvement of mental condition and reduction of suicide in a Japanese population.