Ancianos con intento suicida en el municipio 10 de Octubre

a descriptive study was conducted aimed at identifying psychosocial, demographic and social important characteristics of the elderly who live in "10 de octubre" municipality and who attempted suicide during the last 3 years.the sample was composed of 26 aged people without cognitive deterioration. the semi-structured interview of suicide attempt was made.the results were analyzed later and the following conclusions were reached: there was a predominance of aged white persons between 60 and 69 years old, with primary educational level, retired, and with average incomes. the main risk factors that preceded the suicide attempt were: feeling of hopelessness, depressive syndrome and pathological personal suicide history. the protective factor for suicide present in most of the elderly was physical well-being and most of them had a formal-informal network of social support and received mainly instrumental support and considered generally the social support as deficient.