Self-caused violence and suicide among adults and the elderly: characterizing cases in a municipality in the interior

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7213/psicolargum.42.119.AO08

Abstract

Suicidal behavior can be considered a public health problem, with adults and the elderly having the highest mortality rates in the country. The objective was to analyze registered cases of self-inflicted violence and suicide, among adults and the elderly, that occurred in the period from 2018 to 2022, in a municipality in the interior, through documentary research with data provided by epidemiological surveillance and the Mortality Information System. A descriptive analysis was performed using the SPSS software. The results showed a total of 273 notifications of self-inflicted violence among adults and the elderly, with 264 people aged 20 to 59 years and nine people over 60 years of age. Self-inflicted violence occurred predominantly at home by poisoning/intoxication, among mixed-race people, females, mainly reported by a local hospital. As for deaths, of the 33 recorded, 29 were adults and four were elderly, most of them mixed-race men among adults and white among the elderly, with the highest occurrence at home among adults and in the hospital among the elderly, by hanging/strangulation/suffocation among adults and self-intoxication among the elderly. Adults have higher suicide mortality rates and absolute numbers of suicide and self-harm. It is necessary to strengthen and create actions and public policies to care for this population, given the peculiarities of these age groups.

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Author Biographies

Schyrlei Viana da Silva , Federal University of Espirito Santo

Graduated in Psychology from Multivix Nova Venécia. Master in Psychology from the Postgraduate Program in Psychology at UFES. Professor of the Psychology Course at Multivix Nova Venécia.

Alexandra Iglesias , Federal University of Espirito Santo

Graduated in psychology from the Federal University of Espírito Santo (UFES). Master and PhD in Psychology from the Postgraduate Program in Psychology at UFES. Adjunct Professor at UFES/Department of Psychology and the Postgraduate Program in Psychology - PPGP-UFES.

Published

2024-12-04

How to Cite

Viana da Silva , S., Iglesias , A., & Bicalho Reis, L. (2024). Self-caused violence and suicide among adults and the elderly: characterizing cases in a municipality in the interior. Psicologia Argumento, 42(119). https://doi.org/10.7213/psicolargum.42.119.AO08