Suicide among the elderly in Israel

This comparative analysis examines the data on attempted and completed suicides among the aged population (65+) in Israel to assess what changes have occurred in recent rears. The sources of the data used in this review were statistics reported by the Israeli Ministry of Health and the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics for two decades, 1962-1971 and 1977-1986, with additional data provided for previous years. Analysis of these data shows a rise in both attempted and completed suicides among the elderly in Israel over the last decade. However, a comparison with selected European and Western countries reveals that these rates are still lower than those of other Western countries. These findings are discussed within the framework of family care, religious tradition, and social policy. In light of the fact that suicide rates are shown to rise with increasing age both in Israel and in other countries, the need to understand suicide among the elderly is becoming even more urgent and should generate more research.