Date of Award

1995

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Art

First Advisor

Marilyn Patterson

Second Advisor

Pamela Nickels

Third Advisor

Howard Rosenthal

Abstract

In the United States, the suicide rate is highest among the elderly community. Moreover, studies have concluded that elderly individuals who commit suicide see a physician 75% of the time within a month of committing the act. Therefore, it is important for physicians to be aware of the high rate of suicide among this age group.

A questionnaire developed by the researcher was sent to 200 practicing physicians associated with a health center located in a moderate sized midwestern suburb 30 miles from a large metropolitan city. The questionnaire was based on a Rockwell and O'Brien (1973) study. Therefore, the researcher compared his results to those of the Rockwell and O'Brien (1973) study. The purpose of the researcher's questionnaire was to test physicians' education, training, and utilization of resources regarding suicide.

This study was descriptive and exploratory in nature was not tested for reliability and validity. The researcher developed five questions to be answered with the data collected from the physicians. The physicians reported not having adequate training in suicide, but were knowledgeable of the high rate of suicide among the elderly.

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