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Psychological autopsy study on suicide in late life

Research Project

Project/Area Number 08671118
Research Category

Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)

Allocation TypeSingle-year Grants
Section一般
Research Field Psychiatric science
Research InstitutionTokyo Institute of Psychiatry

Principal Investigator

TAKAHASHI Yoshitomo  Tokyo Institute of, Department of Psychopathology, Deputy Chief, 精神病理研究部門, 副参事 (30163299)

Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) HIRASAWA Hideto  Tokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Center Hospital, Chief Physician, 精神科, 医長 (50167607)
ISHIKAWA Yoshihiro  Tokyo Institute of, Department of Psychopathology, Researcher Emeritus, 名誉研究員 (30090393)
Project Period (FY) 1996 – 1998
Project Status Completed (Fiscal Year 1998)
Budget Amount *help
¥1,900,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,900,000)
Fiscal Year 1998: ¥600,000 (Direct Cost: ¥600,000)
Fiscal Year 1997: ¥700,000 (Direct Cost: ¥700,000)
Fiscal Year 1996: ¥600,000 (Direct Cost: ¥600,000)
Keywordselderly / suicide / suicide prevention / psychological autopsy / primary care / depression / somatization / mental health / 予防 / 危険因子
Research Abstract

Although individuals aged 65 and older accounted for about 16% of the total population of Japan in 1997, there were 6,409 suicides in the same age group, constituting about 26% of all suicides in the same year. Various studies have predicted that the elderly population will grow more rapidly in Japan than in other countries in the early 21st century. Therefore, suicide prevention is and will be a serious mental health issue in Japan.
This investigation has focused on characteristics of suicide in the late life based on psychological autopsy methods. It has revealed that mental disorders which were neither diagnosed properly nor given appropriate treatment existed behind suicidal crisis. Among these disorders, depression was the most serious risk factor. Elderly depressed patients do not often develop typical symptoms of depressed mood or psychomotor retardation, but have various physical complaints. Elderly depressed patients, their families, and primary care physicians whom such elderly patients often see underestimate such suicidal signs in many cases. This study has also revealed other suicidal risk factors characteristic for elderly patients. Therefore, programs should be developed to educate the public, primary care physicians and mental health care providers on the accurate knowledge of suicidal crisis in the late life.
Because this study has been done based on psychological autopsy methods, the impact on the survivors afflicted by suicide were also investigated. Even if the suicides were elderly, suicide often brought the survivors complicated psychological symptoms such as denial, depression, anxiety, self-guilt, somatization, anger, rationalization, etc. Therefore, effort for suicide prevention is an important mental health activity not only for those who are planning to kill themselves but also their significant others who should deal with suicidal people in daily life.

Report

(4 results)
  • 1998 Annual Research Report   Final Research Report Summary
  • 1997 Annual Research Report
  • 1996 Annual Research Report
  • Research Products

    (41 results)

All Other

All Publications (41 results)

  • [Publications] Takahashi,Y.: "Suicide in Japan:Present state and future directions for prevention" Transcultural Psychiatry. 35. 271-289 (1998)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
    • Related Report
      1998 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] Takahashi,Y.: "Restriction of suicide mathods." Archives of Suicide Research. 4. 101-107 (1998)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
    • Related Report
      1998 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] Takahashi,Y.: "Culture and suicide." Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior. 27. 137-145 (1997)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
    • Related Report
      1998 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] Takahashi,Y.: "Psychological responses of psychiatrists to patient suicide" Crisis. 18. 136-140 (1997)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
    • Related Report
      1998 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] 高橋 祥友: "高齢者の自殺" 日本社会精神医学会雑誌. 4. 197-200 (1996)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
    • Related Report
      1998 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] 高橋 祥友: "老年期の社会適応と自殺" 老年精神医学雑誌. 9. 389-394 (1998)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
    • Related Report
      1998 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] 高橋 祥友: "老年期うつ病" 日本評論社, 237 (1998)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
    • Related Report
      1998 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] 高橋 祥友: "群発自殺" 中央公論社, 211 (1998)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(和文)」より
    • Related Report
      1998 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] Takahashi, Y., et al.: "Suicide in Japan : Present state and future directions for prevention" Transcultural Psychiatry. 35. 271-289 (1998)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
    • Related Report
      1998 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] Takahashi, Y., et al.: "Restriction of suicide methods." Archives of Suicide Research. 4. 101-107 (1998)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
    • Related Report
      1998 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] Takahashi, Y.: "Suicide in the elderly. (written in Japanese)" Japanese Bulletin of Social Psychiatry. 4. 197-200 (1998)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
    • Related Report
      1998 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] Takahashi, Y.: "Nihon Hyoron Sha, Tokyo" Suicide in late life. (written in Japanese). 1998.

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
    • Related Report
      1998 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] Takahashi, Y.: "Chuo Koron Sha, Tokyo" Suicide cluster.(written in Japanese). 1998.

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
    • Related Report
      1998 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] Takahashi, Y.: "Suicide in Japan : What are the problems?" In Kosky, R.J., et al.(Eds.) Suicide prevention : The global context, pp.121-130, New York : Plenum. (1998)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
    • Related Report
      1998 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] Takahashi, Y.: "Culture and suicide." Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior. 27. 137-145 (1997)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
    • Related Report
      1998 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] Takahashi, Y.: "Psychological responses of psychiatrists to patient suicide." Crisis. 18. 136-140 (1997)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
    • Related Report
      1998 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] Takahashi, Y.: "Recent trends and Strategies for suicide prevention in Japan" In Ramsay, R.F., & Tanney, B.L,(Eds.) Global trends in suicide prevention, pp.253-272, Mumbai : Tata Institute of Socidos Sciences.1996.

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
    • Related Report
      1998 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] Takahashi, Y., et al.: "Cultural dynamics and suicide in Japan" In Leenaars, A., & Lester, D.(Eds.) Suicide and teh Unconscious, pp.248-258, Northvale : Jason Aronson, 1996 Japanese Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. 9. 389-394 (1996)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
    • Related Report
      1998 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] Takahashi, Y.: Psychology of suicide.(written in Japanese). Kodan Sha, Tokyo, (1997)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
    • Related Report
      1998 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] Takahashi, Y., et al.: Prevention of suicide : Guidelines for the formulation and implementation of national strategies.United Nations, New York, (1996)

    • Description
      「研究成果報告書概要(欧文)」より
    • Related Report
      1998 Final Research Report Summary
  • [Publications] Takahashi,Y.: "Suicide in Japan.Present state and future directions for prevention" Transcultural Psychiatry. 35. 271-289 (1998)

    • Related Report
      1998 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] Takahashi,Y.: "Restriction of suicide methods" Archives of Suicide Research. 4. 101-107 (1998)

    • Related Report
      1998 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] 高橋祥友: "老年期の社会適応と自殺" 老年精神医学雑誌. 9. 389-394 (1998)

    • Related Report
      1998 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] 高橋祥友: "老年期うつ病" 日本評論社, 237 (1998)

    • Related Report
      1998 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] 高橋祥友: "群発自殺" 中央公論社, 211 (1998)

    • Related Report
      1998 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] Takahashi,Y.: "Psychological responses of psychiatrists to patient suicide" Crisis. 18(3). 136-140 (1997)

    • Related Report
      1997 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] Takahashi,Y.,et al.: "Elderly suicide:A multi-national view" Aging & Mental Health. 1(2). 107-111 (1997)

    • Related Report
      1997 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] 高橋祥友: "高齢者の自殺、その1" こころの科学. 72. 110-115 (1997)

    • Related Report
      1997 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] 高橋祥友: "高齢者の自殺、その2" こころの科学. 73. 117-121 (1997)

    • Related Report
      1997 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] 高橋祥友: "自殺の危険の評価" Psychiatry Today. 19. 2-4 (1997)

    • Related Report
      1997 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] 高橋祥友: "老年期うつ病に対する心理的アプローチ" こころの科学. 74. 97-101 (1997)

    • Related Report
      1997 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] 高橋祥友: "自殺の心理学" 講談社, 186 (1997)

    • Related Report
      1997 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] 高橋祥友編: "精神医学から考える生と死" 金剛出版, 260 (1997)

    • Related Report
      1997 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] 高橋祥友: "自殺の危険性の評価" 精神科治療学. 11. 1019-1026 (1996)

    • Related Report
      1996 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] 高橋祥友: "自殺予防と危機カウンセリング" 現代のエスプリ. 351. 153-161 (1996)

    • Related Report
      1996 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] 高橋祥友: "身体疾患と老年期うつ病" こころの科学. 69. 88-92 (1996)

    • Related Report
      1996 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] 高橋祥友: "老年期うつ病の有病率" こころの科学. 68. 118-122 (1996)

    • Related Report
      1996 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] 高橋祥友: "高齢者の自殺" 日本社会精神医学会雑誌. 4. 197-200 (1996)

    • Related Report
      1996 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] Takahashi,Y.: "Suicide and aging in Japan" International Psychogeriatrics. 7. 239-251 (1995)

    • Related Report
      1996 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] 高橋祥友編: "精神医学から考える生と死:ターミナルケア、自殺予防、尊厳死" 金剛出版, 260 (1997)

    • Related Report
      1996 Annual Research Report
  • [Publications] 仙波純一,高橋祥友編: "現代の精神保健" 放送大学出版, 190 (1995)

    • Related Report
      1996 Annual Research Report

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Published: 1996-04-01   Modified: 2016-04-21  

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