Objective:

To examine the rates, sociodemographic and clinical factors of older adults who die by suicide in Ireland.

Approach:

• Study Design: Retrospective analysis of coronial files of older adults aged ≥60 years who died by suicide in Ireland during 2015–2020, with adults aged 18–59 years as a comparison group.
• Data Analysis: Crude suicide rates per 100,000 were calculated. Differences in sociodemographic and clinical variables were tested using χ2 or Fisher’s exact tests. ORs with 95% CIs compared suicide methods between age groups. Poisson regression models estimated changes in s…
• Lived Experience Contribution: A Lived Experience group contributed to interpretation.

Key Findings:

• 654 older adults died by suicide between 2015 and 2020.
• Average suicide rate for older adults was 12.0 per 100,000, compared to 17.5 per 100,000 for adults aged 18–59.
• Older single males had the highest suicide rate overall (38.1 per 100,000).
• Males aged 60–69 years had the highest rate among older adults (21.8 per 100,000).
• Suicide risk increased during summer, especially among older adults.
• Rates declined in 2020 in older males.
• Older adults were more likely to be married, live alone, and belong to agricultural and managerial socioeconomic groups compared to younger adults.
• Older adults had higher prevalence of physical health conditions, recent acute pain, loneliness, and GP contact.
• Method profiles differed by age, with drowning and firearm-related suicides higher among older adults.

Interpretation:

Older adults who died by suicide in Ireland exhibited distinct sociodemographic and clinical profiles compared to younger adults.

Limitations:

• The study is based on retrospective analysis of coronial records, which may not capture all relevant factors.
• Findings may not be generalizable beyond the Irish context.

Conclusion:

The study highlights the distinct sociodemographic and clinical profiles of older adults who died by suicide in Ireland.