THE EFFECT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON SUICIDE ATTEMPTS OF INDIVIDUALS AGED 65 AND OVER

Öz

Objective: The aim of this study is to examine whether the Covid-19 pandemic affects the suicide attempts of elderly individuals aged 65 and over and to offer solutions for the prevention of these suicide attempts. Methods: The medical records of elderly patients aged 65 years and over who applied to the Emergency Department between March 01, 2016, and March 31, 2022, were retrospectively analyzed. "Pre-pandemic period" suicide attempts and "Pandemic period" suicide attempts were handled separately. Age, gender, length of hospital stays, type of suicide attempt, psychological status, post-examination status, whether he lived alone or with his family, whether there was a recurrent suicide attempt and whether there was a history of psychiatric illness were recorded in the case study forms. SPSS (version 26.0) package program was used for statistical analysis. Demographic data were expressed as numbers and percentages. Results: In this study, the records of 71 patients over the age of 65 were reviewed retrospectively. It was determined that the total number of patients who attempted suicide during the pandemic period showed a statistically significant increase compared to the pre-pandemic period (p<0.00001), and there was a 3.56-fold increase in suicide attempts over 65 years of age. Conclusion: Comorbidities with old age negatively affect the quality of life and lead people to despair. Isolation measures taken in old age, when the need for social support increases, pushes the elderly to loneliness even more, and this situation emerges as increasing suicide attempts.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Geriatric patient
• Pre-pandemic period
• Suicide attempts
• Elder
• Covid-19
• Pandemic period
• İntihar girişimleri
• İntihar girişimleri
• Yaşlı

COVİD-19 PANDEMİSİNİN 65 YAŞ VE ÜZERİ YAŞLI BİREYLERİN İNTİHAR GİRİŞİMLERİ ÜZERİNE ETKİSİ

Öz

Amaç: Bu çalışmanın amacı, Covid-19 pandemisinin 65 yaş ve üstü yaşlı bireylerin intihar girişimlerini etkileyip etkilemediğini incelemek ve bu intihar girişimlerinin önlenmesine yönelik çözüm önerileri sunmaktır. Çalışma Planı: Acil Servise 01 Mart 2016-31 Mart 2022 tarihleri arasında başvuran 65 yaş ve üzeri yaşlı hastaların tıbbi kayıtları retrospektif olarak incelendi. "Pandemi öncesi dönem" intihar girişimleri ve "Pandemi dönemi" intihar girişimleri ayrı ayrı ele alındı. Yaş, cinsiyet, hastanede kalış süresi, intihar girişiminin türü, hastanın psikolojik durumu, muayene sonrası durumu, yalnız mı yoksa ailesiyle mi yaşadığı, tekrarlayan intihar girişimi olup olmadığı ve psikiyatrik hastalık öyküsü olup olmadığı olgu rapor formlarına kaydedildi. İstatistiksel analiz için SPSS (versiyon 26.0) paket programı kullanıldı. Demografik veriler sayı ve yüzde olarak ifade edildi. Bulgular: Bu çalışmada 65 yaş üzeri 71 hastaya ait kayıtlar geriye dönük olarak incelendi. Pandemi döneminde intihar girişiminde bulunan toplam hasta sayısının pandemi öncesine göre istatistiksel olarak anlamlı düzeyde artış gösterdiği (p<0,00001), 65 yaş ve üzeri intihar girişimlerinde 3,56 kat artış olduğu belirlendi. Sonuç: Yaşlılık ile birlikte görülen hastalıklar yaşam kalitesini olumsuz etkilemekte ve insanları umutsuzluğa sürüklemektedir. Sosyal desteğe ihtiyacın arttığı yaşlılıkta alınan izolasyon önlemleri, yaşlıyı daha da yalnızlığa itmekte ve bu durum artan intihar girişimleri olarak karşımıza çıkmaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Elder
• Geriatric patient
• Covid-19
• Pre-pandemic period
• Suicide attempts
• Pandemic period
• İntihar girişimleri
• İntihar girişimleri
• Yaşlı
• Geriatrik hasta
• Pandemi dönemi
• Pandemi öncesi dönem

Kaynakça

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