Suicide attempts and deaths in older persons in Ghana: A media surveillance approach

Abstract

To explore the socio-demographic profiles and the key characteristics of nonfatal suicide attempts and suicide deaths in older persons in Ghana, content analysis was applied to 71 local media news reports between 2000 and 2017 on nonfatal suicide attempts and suicide deaths involving older persons. A disproportionately higher number of males (97.2%) aged 50–64 years with various agricultural occupational backgrounds died by suicide through the use of lethal means such as hanging, gunshot, and self-poisoning. Marriage and family problems; poverty and financial difficulties; evasion of dishonour and punishment; health problems; loss; interpersonal difficulties; and previous attempted suicide were the reasons for the behaviour. The findings are discussed within the integrated motivational-volitional model of suicide in older persons. The findings support the recent clarion call for a shift of research focus onto the mental health of (older) men in Ghana, and underscore the need to intensify general public education on recognising the warning signs of suicide and the lines of action to take to save older persons from suicide deaths.