Ideação e tentativa de suicídio em idosos atendidos pela estratégia saúde da família de Porto Alegre

Abstract

Population aging is a global phenomenon that occurs more rapidly in developing countries like Brazil. As a consequence, there is the increased frequency of health problems characteristic of the elderly, including mental disorders. Depression is the most common psychiatric illness among the elderly. This pathology can achieve different levels of severity, from mild to the most severe and associated with suicide. Older individuals are at higher risk of suicide than any other population. The aim of this study is to evaluate ideation, attempts and risks of suicide in a random sample of the elderly attended by the Family Health Program of Porto Alegre. A prospective cross-sectional study was conducted. The sample consisted of 530 randomly selected older people from 27 Family Health Teams in the city of Porto Alegre (FHT/POA) drawn in a stratified manner by the "Health Districs". Diagnosis was made by psychiatrists experienced in evaluating the elderly and using the Brazilian version of the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (M.I.N.I 5.0.0 plus). The results showed a total of 15.7% (n=83) of the elderly sample presented a risk of suicide. Of this total 10% (n = 53) had low risk, 0.8% (n = 4) moderate risk, and 4.9% (n = 26) high risk. Among the subjects who were at risk for suicide a few significant associations can be highlighted: female (19.5%, P <0.001), not having income (34.1%, P = 0.022) and loss of one or more children (22.6%, P = 0.007). Regarding the mood it was found that 59.2% (n=45) of those individuals with current unipolar depression presented a suicide risk, whilst 62.5% (n=5) with current bipolar disorder and 33.3% (n=8) with a past history of this disease also presented a risk of suicide. A high rate of suicide risk was found by this study in the elderly population living in the community of Porto Alegre. Increased mental distress was noted in the evaluated individuals and it was possible to identify predictive factors for suicide risk through the analyses performed. The findings of this study are worrying, being necessary to be replicated in other localities and samples. Even so, the results cited clamor for urgency in promoting the treatment of mental disorders and suicide risk, especially those specializing in the elderly.