CONTENTS

About This Course

Table of Contents

1. The Nature and Scope of Suicide
2. Recognizing the Progressive Development of Suicide
3. Substance Abuse as a Major Contributor to Suicide
4. Suicide Across the Life Span
5. Special Populations and Suicide Risk
6. Prevention and Early Intervention for Suicide and Substance Abuse Problems

Supplements
References
Resources

Holding the Lifeline
A Guide to Suicide Prevention

Future Prevention Needs

Changing demographics and behaviors do not bode well for the next wave of older Americans. The aging "baby boomers" are now making older adults the fastest growing segment of the population. It's not clear how aging will affect the suicide rates in this population. However, experts note that the baby boomers in general drink greater quantities of alcohol and do so more frequently than their predecessors.

A national longitudinal survey also indicates that the baby boom cohort has higher rates of alcohol and other drug abuse/dependence than previous generations. All of these factors point to the need for both substance abuse and suicide treatment and prevention targeted to older adults. ref

CSAP's online course At Any Age It does Matter: Substance Abuse and Older Adults, provides more information about older adults and substance use and abuse and medication misuse.