It is difficult to estimate the suicide rates of the elderly because they may deliberately do which of the following?
A) Stop taking their medications
B) Become self-neglectful
C) Have accidents that cause death but are deemed to be "natural causes"
D) All of the above

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

All of the above are potential ways that elderly individuals may deliberately hide or disguise their suicidal behavior, making it difficult to accurately estimate suicide rates among this population. For example, an elderly person may intentionally stop taking medications that are needed for their health, which could increase their risk of suicide. Alternatively, an elderly person may become self-neglectful, which could lead to poor health outcomes and an increased risk of suicide. Finally, an elderly person may have an accident that is deemed to be a natural cause of death, even if the underlying cause was suicide. All of these factors can make it difficult to identify cases of suicide among the elderly, making it hard to estimate the true number of deaths by suicide in this population.

It Is Difficult to Estimate the Suicide Rates of the Elderly